RE: [tag] Conformance Clause update suggested

["Dennis E. Hamilton" <dennis.hamilton@acm.org>]

This is an interesting expansion of the discussion from the last meeting. 

It is also a good time to point out that there are specific guidelines on
the way conformance clauses and their targets are to be characterized in an
OASIS specification: 
<http://docs.oasis-open.org/templates/TCHandbook/ConformanceGuidelines.html>

I find the Checklist in Section 6 to be particularly useful in ensuring that
the objectives of the guidelines are achieved.

I also think we need to review the revised Technical Committee Process
sections 2.18 Specification Quality, just to make sure we are clear on what
is required.

 - Dennis

PS: 

-----Original Message-----
From: Jacques R. Durand [mailto:JDurand@us.fujitsu.com] 
Sent: Monday, November 09, 2009 19:27
To: TAG TC
Subject: [tag] Conformance Clause update suggested

Bsed on previous comments:
 
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"Implementations subject to conformance are of two kinds :
 
(a) representations of the test assertion model described in Section 3, such
as an XML mark-up schema and its semantics,
 
(b) instances of test assertions, either using an informal notation as done
in examples, or using a formal representation mentioned in (a).
 
NOTE: by extension, a processor or editor may also be considered as
conforming to this specification if it only produces conforming test
assertion instances (b) and (if applicable) if it implements a
representation (a) that is conforming.
 
In order to conform to this guidelines, a test assertion representation (a)
shall:
 
(1) represent all mandatory parts and also the optional parts defined in
Section 3.1.
(2) use names for these parts that are identical or can be unambiguously
mapped to the definitions used in 3.1 as well as in section 5 (glossary).
(3) When supporting advanced features defined in section 4, i.e. any of the
following: complex predicate, prerequisite, TA related to a property,
references to other TAs, references to external specifications, inclusion of
normative statements, versioning, variables, target categories related to
each other, then a conforming TA representation shall use these features in
accordance with the best practices defined for these.
(4) When supporting a representation of TA sets, the test assertion
representation must support at least one grouping mechanism described in
Section 4.6. 
 
In order to conform to this guidelines, a test assertion instance (b) shall:
 
(1) contain all mandatory parts defined in Section 3.1.
(2) use names for these parts that are identical or can be unambiguously
mapped to the definitions used in 3.1 as well as in section 5 (glossary).
(3) when using optional parts defined in section 3.1, use names that are
identical to or can be unambiguously mapped to these definitions .
(4) When using advanced features defined in section 4, i.e. any of the
following: complex predicate, prerequisite, TA related to a property,
references to other TAs, references to external specifications, inclusion of
normative statements, versioning, variables, target categories related to
each other, then a conforming TA instance shall use these features in
accordance with the best practices defined for these."
 
 
-jacques