[ANSI-Smalltalk] A question for ANSI/INCITS

[Bruce Badger]

Hi all,

The news that ANSI/INCITS would require paid up members to discuss the
standards work on a closed list and work with a closed wiki to produce
a standard document for which one would have to pay for a copy was a
bit disappointing, to say the least.

I left the question of this hanging for a while to see what people had
to say, and all the feedback is inclining towards wishing to keep the
process as open as possible even while recognising that sticking with
ANSI would be a Good Thing.

I have sent the following off to our contact at INCITS asking if there
is any way that the ASNI/INCITS process could be more open.  Please
let me know if you think I have said anything you would rather I had
not.  I can always send along a correction if I have blundered.

All the best,
    Bruce
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I think we have hit something of a problem.

The enthusiasm of the people who have joined in with the Smalltalk
standards work is to a large degree based around the idea, the intent,
that the Smalltalk standards work be an open exercise.  i.e.
discussions would be in the open, the document in progress would be in
the open and the final document would be in the open much as RFCs are
in the open.

I understand that ANSI and INCITS must be funded.  I thought that the
membership fees covered that, but it seems that there is an
expectation that money can be made from selling copies of the
standard.

The sense I am getting from the members of our mailing list is that
openness is key.  Some have even suggested that we pursue another
route.

The big things I think we get from ANSI/INCITS are:

o Process - you guys know how to bring a standard together

o Gravitas - people respect an "ANSI standard"

So I really would prefer to work with ANSI/INCITS, but it's not my decision.

Is there any way that we can work with ANSI/INCITS and maintain the
open nature of the process and final standard that the people on our
mailing list seek?

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