Subject: IPVBI Status Update

From: Dan Zigmond <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 22 Feb 1999 11:35:14 -0800

Since there hasn't been much activity on the mailing list recently, I wanted
to send out a brief update to the list about what's going on with our
working group.

First, we are still planning to go to IETF "last call" on our IP over NABTS
Internet-Draft very soon.  We got a bit delayed because of some questions
our Area Director had on a few points, and we are making a few
clarifications to the wording to rectify these.  We'll have a slightly
revised draft out by the end of this week, which unless anyone objects to
the minor fixes will be the one sent to the IESG for consideration as an
RFC.

Second, we have not made much progress on the IP over WST front.  We're
still trying to understand how to better work with the folks at EACEM.  They
recently had a meeting and said they would report back to us on how they
would like to go forward.  As you remember, we proposed to harmonize our
work with theirs by adopting their proposed packet structure and suggested
that they consider using our proposed FEC algorithm.

My current thinking is that we should not try to meet at the IETF meeting in
March.  The changes to the NABTS draft are so minor that I'm not sure it's
worth trying to gather us all in Minneapolis to discuss it (and many of our
members do not attend other IETF working groups).  Furthermore, our WST is
not sufficiently far along to have a meaningful discussion.  because the
next IETF meeting is anyway scheduled to be held in Europe, it may make more
sense to simply get our WST draft as near as we can to final form before
then, and resolve any final details at that in-person meeting.

If anyone feels we do have a strong need to meet in person next month,
please let me know as soon as possible.  Otherwise, as I said I'll post the
new NABTS draft shortly and provide more details on the EACEM's response to
our WST proposals as I get them.

	Dan

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Dan Zigmond
Senior Manager, Interactive Television Technology
WebTV Networks, Inc.
[email-masked]
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