[rfc-i] Intended Publication: RFC Editor Model (draft-iab-rfc-editor-model-02.txt)

[Ray Pelletier]

On Nov 10, 2008, at 5:57 PM, Jim Schaad wrote:

> I have a few questions that arise from this document.
>
>
> 1.  One of the tasks of the RFC Series Editor is to oversee the  
> consistency
> of the RFCs with both prior RFCs and with the style guide.  As things
> currently stand, this person is not a gateway on path from the  
> production
> center to the publisher.  Is it intended that the RFC Series Editor  
> is going
> to be a gateway on each document to do a judgment, or is it intended  
> that
> the RFC Series Editor will flag lapses in consistency to the IAOC  
> after
> publication as they are noted either by the editor or the general  
> public?

It make sense to me that the Editor may want to review 'ready-to- 
publish' documents before going to the Publisher from time to time  
(and maybe a lot in the beginning) to achieve the consistency desired  
and therefore should be able to request documents be sent to him/her.

The Editor would also be informed by those and by those where uncaught  
lapses did occur in updating the Style Manual.

Ray


>
>
> 2. For the independent submission editor,  I note that both  
> editorial skills
> and competency in English are not requisite qualifications.  Is this
> intentional?
>
> 3.  I would like the document to clarify the following question.  Is  
> it the
> job of a series editor to ensure that a document that is passed to the
> production house meet some minimal criteria for readability?
>
> As a member of the current RFC Editorial board, I have review a  
> number of
> submissions where the clarity of the document was lacking.  I would  
> be loath
> to say that the Independent Submissions Editor should have passed  
> these
> documents on to the production house to clean up the language  
> problems and
> then take them back to determine if they should really be  
> published.  As I
> understand things the submissions gatekeepers should only send on  
> documents
> that are really clear.  This however is not stated as a requirement or
> responsibility for the independent submissions editor.
>
> 4.  The statement on funding for the Independent Submissions Editor  
> worries
> me.  I believe that this job is currently funded as part of the  
> contract
> with ISI.  (Bob, please correct me if I am wrong.)  This document is  
> making
> the statement at that it will no longer be funded through IASA and,
> implicitly, says that we don't believe that the job is of sufficient
> importance for the IAB to make sure that the job is funded at all.   
> If we
> believe that this job is basically a sinecure, then this is not a  
> problem.
> If we believe that this job actually would require a substantial  
> amount of
> work, then this is an issue.  I would not be surprised to find out  
> that we
> are paying for this work either via the use of the production house  
> for
> dealing with documents that are not actually ready for production,  
> the RFC
> Series editor's or the IESG's time for dealing with documents that  
> should
> not be published or the communities time for dealing with documents  
> that
> should never have been published.
>
> Jim
>
>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: rfc-interest-bounces at rfc-editor.org [mailto:rfc-interest-
>> bounces at rfc-editor.org] On Behalf Of Olaf Kolkman
>> Sent: Friday, November 07, 2008 1:43 AM
>> To: RFC Interest
>> Subject: [rfc-i] Intended Publication: RFC Editor Model (draft-iab- 
>> rfc-
>> editor-model-02.txt)
>>
>>
>>
>> Two days ago I posted this message as iab-chair. That message  
>> dropped,
>> hence this forward.
>>
>>
>>> From: IAB Chair <iab-chair at ietf.org>
>>> Date: November 6, 2008 3:01:20 PM GMT+01:00
>>> To: independent at ietf.org, rfc-interest at rfc-editor.org,
>>> ietf-announce at ietf.org
>>> Cc: iab at iab.org
>>> Subject: [INDEP] Intended Publication: RFC Editor Model (draft-iab-
>>> rfc-editor-model-02.txt)
>>> Reply-To: iab at iab.org
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Dear Colleagues,
>>>
>>>
>>> The IAB and the IAOC have been working on a model that divides the
>>> responsibilities for the RFC Series into four functions: The RFC
>>> Series Editor, the Independent Submission Editor, RFC Production
>>> Center, and the RFC Publisher. The model outlined here is intended  
>>> to
>>> increase flexibility and operational support options, provide for  
>>> the
>>> orderly succession of the RFC Editor, and ensure the continuity of
>> the
>>> RFC series, while maintaining RFC quality, maintaining timely
>>> processing, ensuring document accessibility, reducing costs, and
>>> increasing cost transparency.
>>>
>>> The model has been discussed on the RFC interest list and approved  
>>> by
>>> the IAB on October 1. After the approval the document saw some
>>> clarification based on ongoing discussion. The IAB intends to  
>>> publish
>>> this version 02 as an RFC so that the model serves as a baseline for
>>> the implementation by the IAOC.
>>>
>>> The document is available as draft-iab-rfc-editor-model-02.txt.
>>>
>>> During the implementation of this model the IAB remains committed to
>>> track and evaluate the developments, listen to the community, and
>>> adjust the model if and when needed.
>>>
>>> If there are any issues you would like to bring to our attention
>>> please post these to the RFC interest list
>>> (rfc-interest at rfc-editor.org) or to the IAB (iab at iab.org). We plan  
>>> to
>>> hand this document to the RFC Editor after November 30 2008.
>>>
>>> As a next step in this process of a committee has been formed to
>>> assist the IAOC and IAB with the selection process and the creation
>> of
>>> an RFI that will be issued early December.
>>>
>>> - Russ Housley, (IESG member)
>>> - Leslie Daigle, (RFC processes experience)
>>> - Scott Bradner, (RFC Editorial Board experience)
>>> - Ray Pelletier, (IAD)
>>> - Craig Partridge, (IRSG member and RFC Editorial Board experience)
>>> - Olaf Kolkman, (IAB member)
>>>
>>> Thanks,
>>>
>>> --Olaf Kolkman
>>>
>>>
>>> Details:
>>> RFC Editor Model
>>> draft-iab-rfc-editor-model-02.txt
>>>
>>> Abstract:
>>> The RFC Editor performs a number of functions that may be carried  
>>> out
>>> by various persons or entities.  The RFC Editor model presented in
>>> this document divides the responsibilities for the RFC Series into
>>> four functions: The RFC Series Editor, the Independent Submission
>>> Editor, RFC Production Center, and the RFC Publisher.  The model
>>> outlined here is intended to increase flexibility and operational
>>> support options, provide for the orderly succession of the RFC
>> Editor,
>>> and ensure the continuity of the RFC series, while maintaining RFC
>>> quality, maintaining timely processing, ensuring document
>>> accessibility, reducing costs, and increasing cost transparency.
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> INDEPENDENT mailing list
>>> INDEPENDENT at ietf.org
>>> https://www.ietf.org/mailman/listinfo/independent
>
>
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