Subject: Re: The IETF Mission

From: Dean Anderson <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 9 Feb 2004 19:37:08 -0500 (EST)

Ok, here is a revised version with the current feedback.

This is the section from the ANSI Mission statement:

  Due Process. All objections shall have an attempt made towards their 
  resolution. Interests who believe they have been treated unfairly shall 
  have a right to appeal.

It seems that some mention should be made about due process at the IETF.

================

The IETF, an activity of the Internet Society, is a technical protocol
standards organization.  Its principal goals are:

        To create open technical standards and identify best practices
that are useful to and adopted by the world internet communtity and the
public at large.

        To identify current and emerging protocol requirements, and share 
best practices.

        To facliitate the participation of all affected and interested
parties and develop consensus.

        To solicit the input of a diverse group of interests and 
participants in the formation of protocol standards.

	To provide a fair and open process in the specification and
movement of future standards throughout the standardization process, with
early and equal access to specifications.

        To use a fair and open process in the resolution of disputes so
that any person or organization with a claim of unfair treatment has an
avenue for appeal.

        To work with suppliers, consortia, and other standards bodies to 
develop consensus and facilitate interoperability.

---

From: Iljitsch van Beijnum <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 13 Feb 2004 11:26:36 +0100

> develop consensus and facilitate interoperability.

So how does "the IETF" do this? Talking to others only works in a 
top-down organization, but not in a bottom-up organization. I don't see 
how a situation where the IETF, through its internal processes, reaches 
rough consensus, and then would have to negotiate with external 
entities, could work.

I think it's important that the IETF can operate autonomously, without 
"working" with anyone. If suppliers, consortia and other standards 
bodies have input to the IETF, they can participate like anyone else.