Subject: Re: Implementors' Guide

From: Bob Mahoney <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 11 Jun 2000 09:11:56 -0400

At 11:37 AM -0400 6/9/00, <[email-masked]> wrote:
>George asked several things among them:
>>                                   For instance, we can add
>>a section describing why certain decisions were made during
>>the development of the standard.
>
>I think that some may find this useful but it is not something that 
>an implementor really needs to know to implement the standards.  Its 
>more background that they can get by reading the archives of the WG 
>mailing list (or asking on the list if they have the think skin to 
>take the sometimes toasty responses).

I have to disagree here.  We want to pass along some of the reasons 
that certain decisions were made, and what the issues involved were. 
We can always reference the archives for a more complete record of 
various debates, but I think it's important to capture some of the 
debates we've had, at least enough to know the topic was considered.

We want to have developers aware of Why, not just How.  Expecting 
that anyone approaching development of a calendar app will read 
several years of (often boring) archives first, to get the full 
design context, is probably not reasonable...

-Bob

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From: George Babics <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 12 Jun 2000 10:35:17 -0400

> debates we've had, at least enough to know the topic was considered.

  We can perhaps clarify what the purpose of the document is, then 
decide if the reasons behind certain decisions belong there.

  If it is an aid to implementors, rather than an introduction to
the various standard documents, then the reasons behind certain
decisions can help implementors.

> design context, is probably not reasonable...

  Furthermore, there may have been important "whys" brought up 
during various work group meetings that may have not made it to the
mailing list. 

  By the way, have the minutes to all of the calsched work group meetings
been put onto the mailing list? If not, where can I find them?

George

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From: Bob Mahoney <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 12 Jun 2000 10:58:06 -0400

>been put onto the mailing list? If not, where can I find them?

All the minutes should be in one of the two list archives at 
http://www.imc.org/ietf-calendar/

-Bob

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From: George Babics <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 12 Jun 2000 15:35:10 -0400

Thanks!