Minutes of the NOC-Tool Catalogue Revisions Working Group (NOCtool2)
Agenda
The NOCtool2 Working Group met at the 22nd IETF in Santa Fe. The
meeting served primarily to report on the revision of the RFC 1147/FYI
2, and again served as a forum for discussion of the ``living
documents'' problem. The agenda was as follows,
o Working Group Co-Chair shuffling
o Current status
o NOCtools' resolution of the ``living documents'' problem
o Planned wrap up of revision process
Discussions
Co-Chair Shuffling The replacement of Gary Malkin by Darren Kinley
during the month of October was announced. Thanks
to Gary for his efforts.
Current status Enger, Kinley, and Malkin each fumbled putting
things behind schedule. After much whining,
pleading, and shaming their lives were spared.
Schedules have been revised.
Revised Schedules Internet-Draft to be prepared for the month of
February, its availability (including TOC) widely
announced, late submissions to be included as
required, and finally document to be submitted to
the RFC editor. The delay from announcement as ID
to submission to the RFC editor will depend on the
number of late entries received, the feedback from
the community, and will be left to the discretion
of the RFC editors.
``Living Documents'' Technical and philosophical aspects of this
problem were discussed extensively. Everyone
agreed that ``high-tech'' solutions were still not
available nor would they be in the very near
future. The group decided to schedule a BOF on
this topic at the upcoming IETF in San Diego.
Two sets of mechanisms and procedures to aid in the
maintenance and distribution of this document were
put forward, improved, and adopted by the group.
1
1. Anonymous FTP retrieval with automated email
submission.
The official/edited document will be made
available via anonymous FTP as well as an
automated electronic distribution tool
(listserv) as a whole or in pieces. Entries
can be submitted via electronic mail and made
immediately available in an unofficial/unedited
portion of the distribution. An editor will
occasionally verify these last entries and
include them in the official document.
Possible homes might include Merit or
Washington University.
2. Usenet news.
A news hierarchy similar to this was discussed.
alt.noctools.announce (moderated) A small
number of entries will be posted daily so that
during a month the entire document will be
posted once.
alt.noctools.wanted (unmoderated) Questions of
the nature ``I'm looking for...'' will be
posted to this group.
alt.noctools.new (unmoderated) New tools can be
announced here. A Gateway between this group
and the automated email submission address
should be put in place.
alt.noctools.bugs (unmoderated) Any patchs to
tools can be posted here. Hopefully, they will
also be sent to the tool creator.
alt.noctools.d (unmoderated) General
discussion.
Resources needed to support some of these
functions could be located very near to the FTP
retrieval and automated submissions service.
Other Items
o The majority of cases are handled in current the plan, but what
about the small number of sites without even UUCP access?
o BOF on ``living documents'' problem.
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Action Items
Robert Enger, Darren Kinley: Contact remaining people with entries,
continue to solicit and accept new entries, prepare draft document.
Joyce Reynolds: Consider funding for maintenance of ``living
documents'' problem vis-a-vis the Internet Society.
Darren Kinley, Joyce Reynolds: Compile list where NOCtools catalog
availability announcement will get the widest possible distribution.
Robert Enger, Darren Kinley, Chris Myers, Mike Patton: Properly define
Usenet newsgroups to be created and write charters for these groups as
required.
Chris Myers: Make a home for anonymous FTP and automated electronic
submissions and distribution tool.
