RE: [stdsreg] Call for Comment Package

[Bob Hager <BHager@ansi.org>]

Title: RE: [stdsreg] Call for Comment Package

Thanks, Em.  I can't see the red but it appears that your only comment is to add

"+  other considerations in the deployment and maintenance of the registries
based on this metadata specification?" under section about submitting your comments.

is this correct?

-----Original Message-----
From: Egdelahostria@ra.rockwell.com
[mailto:Egdelahostria@ra.rockwell.com]
Sent: Wednesday, September 11, 2002 9:49 AM
To: Bob Hager
Cc: stdsreg@lists.oasis-open.org
Subject: Re: [stdsreg] Call for Comment Package

Comments in red.

Bob Hager <BHager@ansi.org> on 09/11/2002 08:34:40 AM

To:    "'Standards Registry Mail List'" <stdsreg@lists.oasis-open.org>
cc:

Subject:    [stdsreg] Call for Comment Package

Below is the draft text I have prepared that will constitute the body of
the e-mail used to introduce our public review.  I included Karl's input
(with some modifications) and added detail about the specification itself,
the types of comments we are seeking, and the mechanism for providing
comments.

My recommendation is that any further comments on either v3.0 or the
introduction to the public review package be made by committee members by
Sept 17.  In the mean time, John K. and I will continue to refine our
distribution lists (we have done some of this already) and work to get the
review package to all recipients by no later than Sept 30, thus allowing
for a 90 day public review from Oct 1-Dec 31.  John:  I think you'll need
to send me your final e-mail list so that all packages can be sent out from
the same e-mail (mine), thus facilitating consistent replies.

I believe the remaining steps for public review are as follows:

+  Post v3.0 spec to our standards registry web page for download.  I will
do this today so that Francois can use the current text of the introduction
and point to the spec for his JTC1 deadline.

+  Update the document register on our web page

+  I recommend we remove #2 of the Charter on our web page:  "Selection of
a taxonomy that can be used to classify each SDO's specifications."  We
have agreed that this is no longer one of our goals.

+  John K. and Bob H. coordinate on getting packages out to all relevant
parties.

Here is my proposed introductory text:

CALL FOR COMMENT
on a Standards Metadata Specification
Comments Due by Dec 31, 2002

Dear Standards Developing Organization Representative:

We are soliciting your comments on a specification for standards metadata.
Metadata is "data about data".  The most common example of metadata is the
information you would find on a library index or catalog card:  Title,
Author, Publisher, etc.  In this case, it is a set of fields (elements)
that can be used to describe the standards developed by a wide range of
standards developing organizations.  This standards metadata specification
has progressed sufficiently and therefore we are commencing with a public
review.  In order to ensure widespread use of this specification, it is
important that we receive input from as many different standards developing
organizations as possible.

The Standards Registry Committee

This standards metadata specification was developed by the Standards
Registry committee, an ad hoc group made up of a wide range of
representatives from the standards community.  The Standards Registry
Committee is an ad hoc committee and does not operate under the formal
process of any other organization. More information about the Standards
Registry Committee may be found at <
http://www.ansi.org/Public/Stdsreg/stdsreg.html>, including meeting
minutes, mail list archive, draft documents, and presentations.

Our goals

The primary goal of the Standards Registry Committee has been to develop a
metadata specification that will promote the exchange of information
between organizations developing standards and other consensus documents.
Our further goal is to make available to the public more coherent and
systematic information about these organizations' activities.  Furthermore,
this effort is intended to:

+  increase collaboration between standards developing organizations;
+  encourage the development of interoperable specifications;
+  increase participation in standards efforts; and
+  encourage adoption of completed specifications by users.

Our primary deliverable is a standards metadata specification that can be
used to describe the specifications that your organization develops. Our
goal is to have each SDO (standards developing organization) describe their
technical work using this metadata.  These metadata descriptions can, in
turn, reside on the SDO web site or in various registries that list SDO
specifications.

Benefits for SDOs and Users

The benefit in using this metadata specification for your organization and
other SDOs is that you can more easily discover what other organizations
are working on, which will lead to an increase in cooperative efforts and a
reduction of duplicate work.

The benefit to users and implementers of your specifications is that they
can more easily find out what specifications are being developed by SDOs
and therefore increase their involvement in standards development efforts
of interest to them.  This will subsequently increase the quality and
adoption of specifications.

More about the specification

To date, the standards metadata specification consists of a list of 16
fields or elements that is entitled "Standards Metadata Element Set, v3.0".
These elements are closely harmonized with the Dublin Core Metadata Element
Set, Version 1.1 (<http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/>).  More general
information about the Dublin Core initiative can be found at <
http://dublincore.org/>.  Each element is further described by a set of
attributes (also based on Dublin Core Metadata Element Set, Version 1.1).

The "Definition" and "Comment" attributes provide most of the detail
regarding the intended use of each element and may also suggest usage
issues that require further exploration.

This Standards Metadata Element Set, v3.0 can be downloaded at (INSERT
URL).  It is available in Adobe Acrobat PDF format.  In order to read PDF
files, you will need to install the free Acrobat PDF Reader application
available at http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html

Submitting your comments

We are primarily interested in learning if the Standards Metadata Element
Set, v3.0 is adequate to describe your standards development work.
Specifically, it would be very helpful to know the following:

+  are there too many (or too few) elements?
+  are the definitions of the elements clear?
+  what specific challenges you anticipate in the use of these elements as
they are currently described?
+  other considerations in the deployment and maintenance of the registries
based on this metadata specification?

Please submit your comments by replying to this e-mail (bhager@ansi.org <
mailto:bhager@ansi.org>) on or before December 31, 2002.  As much as
possible, be specific in citing which element or elements you are
commenting on.

Thank you in advance for your valuable input.

The Standards Registry Committee