thoughts on w.g. concensus process

Keith Moore moore at cs.utk.edu
Tue Mar 25 09:07:17 CET 2003


> p.s. I think that choosing from among different solutions is the core 
> work of the IETF.  The IETF is not a research group where solutions 
> are invented.  It is an engineering group whose focus is to pick from 
> available solutions and create an open standard.

I don't think this is a fair statement of the nature of engineering 
versus research.  Engineering is not merely choosing from among 
different solutions.  Engineering sometimes does involve inventing new 
solutions even if it does not discover new principles.

The difference between engineering and research is that engineering 
works with components, tools, techniques that are (believed to be) well 
understood, and creates solutions whose characteristics are (expected 
to be) predictable based on analysis.  If an engineer wants to use 
components, tools, or techniques that are not well understood, it is 
necessary to first do research to gain that understanding.

Unfortunately, we don't do much engineering in IETF.

> The IETF's consensus process is well suited to picking from available 
> solutions.  It is not a good approach for research.

It's not a good approach for engineering either.



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