Time required to write down "wisdom" (Re: "Adult supervision")

[Jari Arkko]

Margaret Wasserman wrote:

> In some SDOs, this is a centralized (even paid) function.  But
> in the IETF, we have a tendency to just assume that the original
> author(s) of the document will serve in this function.  The defacto
> editor may not understand what they are being asked/expected to
> do, they have no training, no formal role definition, no tools
> to help with the job, nothing...

In the paid, centralized function model you'd probably see
not just more formal role definitions, but the whole process
would likely become more formal. We'd be sending detailed
Change Requests all over the place ;-( [I'm not sure whether
that would be good or bad.]

Anyway, *if* its true that IETF editors in general don't understand
what the job is, have no training or tools... perhaps we need
a BCP or training material for this purpose. I took a quick look
at what's easily found from www.ietf.org, and it seems that
there isn't that much information, at least if you don't know
what to look for. The ID guidelines and nits are mainly tailored for
someone who is making his first draft. The chairs training
concentrates on, well, chairs issues. Newcomers orientation
doesn't talk about these issues either. The directly available
material doesn't even mention xml2rfc, for instance. But to
do more than submit an initial draft to the IETF, editors need
to do many things. Perhaps it would be useful to have some
material that talks about the following:

o Tool support
   - Editing
   - ID nits checks
   - State machine drawing / verification tools (oh well,
     the IETF uses formalisms very little...)
   - Difference visualization
   - Issue tracking tools
o Specific text guidance
   - How to write IANA section (point to RFC 2434 )
   - How to write security considerations section (...)
   - Nits
   - Checklists for specific issues (beyond ID nits)
o Process
   - Role of editor
   - Tasks upon writing a new document, producing
     a new revision, list discussion, getting it
     approved at IESG, ...
o ...

--Jari