Definition of power and responsibility [Re: Delegation of power(wasRE: Section 2.4 ofdraft-ietf-problem-statement-00.txt)]

[Keith Moore]

> > IETF isn't  going to get  more productive, or produce  better
> > quality  output, until  working groups  start operating very
> > differently than they do now.   and diluting IESG authority isn't
> > going  to do a thing to help that happen. 
> 
> The "quality output" problem is only one of the problems. Another
> problem is that  good work  gets arbitrarily  delayed because  of the 
> concentration of power  in the  old boys'  network. 

good work gets delayed because there's so much bad work to slog
through, and because there's so much pressure for IESG to accept
whatever crap working groups put out.

as for the old boys' network:  IESG doesn't prioritize old boys'
submissions.  but those who are experienced with the organization are
less likely to have serious omissions in their documents.  they're also
more likely to understand when an IESG member does raise an issue with
the document, and it will take less time to work out the differences.
but being an old boy is not an inherent advantage. old boys are
more likely to have enemies within IESG than newcomers, and as such,
their drafts can get more scrutiny than a draft from a newcomer.

> (That  is stated pretty clearly  in the problem statement draft, 

the fact that it's in the draft doesn't make it true.

> though I see that many of the  old boys have taken objection to  that
> part  of the draft.)

heaven forbid that people who actually have experience with the
organization should want to correct misconceptions about it.

Keith