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Subject: Re: Appeal of the OASIS decision on SCA-J package names
As regards the appeal filed on May 5, 2008, subsequently suspended and then resumed on December 12, 2008 by the appellants listed in the To: line of this message (to whom I've added Mike Edwards, the only one who confirmed that he wanted to be added to the original list of appellants): The appellants write (http://lists.oasis-open.org/archives/sca-j/200812/msg00066.html) "Using a package prefix without owning the corresponding domain does not follow Java conventions and industry best practice. Section 7.7 of the Java Language Specification says: "You form a unique package name by first having (or belonging to an organization that has) an Internet domain name, such as sun.com. You then reverse this name, component by component, to obtain, in this example, com.sun, and use this as a prefix for your package names, using a convention developed within your organization to further administer package names." TC Administration, on the other hand, quotes another sentence *in the same* Java Language Specification, second edition, section 7.7 (http://java.sun.com/docs/books/jls/third_edition/html/packages.html#7.7): "If the domain name contains a hyphen, or any other special character not allowed in an identifier (§3.8), convert it into an underscore." Since both quotes come from the same source, and both parties agree as to the correctness of at least one of them, we should assume that both are correct and as normative as any given specification can be in this case. So, taking the first quote, we note that we do not own org.osoa, so it should not be considered as a solution at all. We do have, however, an Internet domain name, oasis-open.org, which reversed (as specified in the first quote) renders "org.oasis-open". This, according to the first quote, should be the prefix used in the package. However, since section 3.8 excludes the use of hyphen in package names, the second quote provides the correct way of representing it, that is, "org.oasis_open" Thus, after both quotes are applied, org.osoa is inappropriate, and the prefix to be used is therefore org.oasis_open *However* -- we do note the strong dislike expressed by the appellants to the use of underbars in package names (either because they may be hard to type or because some software may be buggy) even though it's part of the same recommendation they otherwise quote with approval. We therefore direct OASIS Staff to investigate the possibility of acquiring the domain name oasisopen.org, and to report to us by January 31, 2009, as to the possibility and cost. We are aware that such an investigation has already started, and we hope this comes to fruition. But if it becomes apparent that acquiring such domain name (or an appropriate alternative that can be used for purposes other than those of the SCA-J TC) is either impossible or too expensive, the TC will be directed at that time to use the package name prefix org.oasis_open. The appellants should remember that the above determination can be appealed too, as specified in http://www.oasis-open.org/committees/process.php#appeals
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