"Adult supervision"

[Thomas Narten]

Hi Charlie.

> Keith Moore wrote:

> >life is too short.  because generally, we're not talking about an
> >explanation, we're talking about an extended debate.  now I'll
> >grant that probably what should happen is that after about the 4th
> >time you find yourself explaining something you write up a web page
> >(NOT an RFC) and update it as necessary, and subsequently point
> >people to that web page.  > That would be better than nothing.
> >However, I guess you mean that the > AD doesn't > have time to make
> >go through the process of making the explanation official.

> Nevertheless, I suggest that the explanation SHOULD be available as
> an RFC.  If it's important enough to kill working group efforts, and
> if 12 people who care enough to find out all didn't understand, then
> the AD should just do it.  Otherwise, it gets to the point that
> undocumented criteria from authoritarian figures are more important
> than the efforts of dozens of people who HAVE documented their
> efforts.

There is a huge spectrum between "documenting in an RFC" and
"undocumented criteria". The former takes a lot of time and is only
worthwhile where an issue comes up many times and need reexplaining
every other month, or really is a big fundamental topic.  But of
course, the latter is also unacceptable. But I think there are middle
grounds here. There is often private email that could (with either
none or just a bit of effort) be turned into an email note that can be
sent to a list. That is not an RFC, but is something that can be
referred to again when the same issue comes up again. And if the topic
continues to come up, a document may at some point be the right
approach.

But let's find the right balance. One line cliches are often not
helpful or appropriate. If that is what people are getting, demand
more and escalate if you don't get an acceptable answer (i.e, ask the
co-AD or another AD, and then maybe Harald). I'd like to think I don't
do use such one liners, but I probably do sometimes, and what is
obvious to me isn't always obvious to someone else. But if I'm not
called out when I do this, I'm probably going to repeat the same
mistake later...

Thomas