RE: [tag] review needed for the latest upload of WD3 TA guidelines

[Jacques Durand <JDurand@us.fujitsu.com>]

Yes, in fact there is an awareness in the OASIS Cloud App Management for Platform TC (CAMP) where I am contributing the writing of test assertions, that these two notions are different - although could overlap:
1. Conformance Target, as defined in http://docs.oasis-open.org/templates/TCHandbook/ConformanceGuidelines.html . These are the "implementations" targeted by a Conformance Clause. A conformance target is usually evaluated by running an entire test suite, and is the "system under test" (SUT) for such suite.
2. [Test] target, as in a test assertion. These are the items actually targeted by a particular test assertion or test case. Typically finer granularity than a "conformance target". 
For example, a Cloud Provider system or API is typically a Conformance Target, but the messages generated by such a system are Test Targets for particular tests. Ultimately, the Provider is the entity that is evaluated for Conformance. The generated messages are only related artifacts that are targets for specific test assertions - not "conformance targets", although related to a "conformance target".
In our definition of "Normative Statement", we should not have to bring in the notion of conformance ( "Conformance Targets" ). The above OASIS "conformance" guidelines does so because its main theme is conformance ! But we could stick to a more minimalist yet sufficient definition.
-jacques

-----Original Message-----
From: Dennis E. Hamilton [mailto:dennis.hamilton@acm.org] 
Sent: Monday, January 28, 2013 8:32 PM
To: Jacques Durand; 'TAG TC List'
Subject: RE: [tag] review needed for the latest upload of WD3 TA guidelines

I believe "Conformance Target" is nomenclature from the OASIS Conformance Guidelines.  It would be useful to review those, since OASIS Standard Conformance statements are supposed to make it clear what the Conformance Targets are and which target a conformance clause pertains to.

It may be useful to determine whether there is any guidance about relating to that in how TA Guidelines are applied.  The Guidelines don't have Conformance Targets, but they might refer to Conformance Targets in the context of application of the TA Model.

[I haven't checked this out -- I just noticed the consideration that may be needed.]

 - Dennis  



-----Original Message-----
From: tag@lists.oasis-open.org [mailto:tag@lists.oasis-open.org] On Behalf Of Jacques Durand
Sent: Monday, January 28, 2013 19:37
To: TAG TC List
Subject: [tag] review needed for the latest upload of WD3 TA guidelines

See the diffs (let me know if you want the PDF instead of OOffice) in the latest WD3 update (posted a few minutes ago).

In particular, the issue reported by Kevin about the definition of “Normative Statement”: I suggest to remove the unnecessary (an inappropriate I would say) mention of “Conformance Target” which calls again for an additional definition. (Now, we also have the same Normative Statement def in the TA model… ). See the proposed updated def, which would also remove the issue.

Thanks,

-jacques