A 100.000 foot perspective on "what is the problem"

[Melinda Shore]

> I concur. We need to have an architecture (or architectures) to guide =
> our efforts, so we can make good use of the resources we have available.

Boy, I don't know about this.  One of midcom's deliverables
(more than one, actually, but that's another matter) has
some serious architectural problems that were spelled out in
detail in an IAB document.  Our draft was modified to answer
those issues, but it's my general sense that it was seen
more as an exercise to complete to get the document
published than it was a reflection of an abiding concern for
architecture.  I don't think that the problems the IETF is
running into are the result of not knowing what the basic
architectural principles are, but rather either not caring
or privileging short-term market considerations over good
architecture.  It seems to me that educational efforts in
this area need to focus on getting participants more
invested in producing good architecture.  They need to be as
passionate about it as they are about, say, licensing terms
or ICANN.

I think the question of who are market and audience are is
key, actually, and I do agree that coming to a common
understanding about that can help enormously.

Melinda