--On Monday, March 25, 2013 11:59 -0400 Scott Kitterman <sc...@kitterman.com> wrote:
>> So perhaps a little more guidance to authors and WGs about >> acknowledgments would be in order. If so, Abdussalam has done >> us something of a favor by raising the issue explicitly (no >> matter what various of us think of his methods). If such >> guidance is needed, a lengthy discussion on the IETF list is >> almost certainly not the best way to put it together, so we >> agree about what should happen now even if not completely >> about the reasons or situation. > > It does not necessarily follow that because there is > significant variation, more guidance is needed. Personally, > I think there should be a strong bias against more > bureaucracy around non-technical aspects of IETF work. Yes, Scott. And I've been saying the latter, rather consistently I think, for years. However, I quite deliberately said "perhaps", not "we should rush out and do something". Equally deliberately, I said "guidance" not "a bunch of new rules and mechanisms for enforcing them". Especially given the interaction between acknowledgments and IPR policies, a little general guidance might be worthwhile even though I would worry about the risk of is being turned into rules. I would definitely consider Scott Brim's suggestion to be within the range of acceptable guidance. So would a clear statement that Acknowledgments sections and their content are entirely at the discretion of the listed authors/editors, even though the latter might require some adjustments in IPR policy. If someone feels like doing the work, I'd recommend a discussion (off the IETF list) with the IESG or selected ADs about whether a draft would be welcome and how it should be handled. Abdussalam, I would suggest that you _not_ try to take the lead on that unless you can do so as a collector and careful and balanced interpreter of community ideas, not as simply an expression of your own, obviously passionate, beliefs on the subject. john