SUO: Re: An idea for making progress
o~~~~~~~~~o~~~~~~~~~o~~~~~~~~~o~~~~~~~~~o~~~~~~~~~o
jim.s3@juno.com wrote:
>
> All,
>
> Here's an idea for how to make some progress on each of the three document.
> Call for comments on each of the documents in the form of a vote on whether
> to raise each document to 'Working Draft' status. The objective of the vote
> would not be to collect enough YES votes, but rather to collect serious comments
> on what members want to see incorporated in the document before willing to YES
> in follow-on vote.
>
> It is true that comments could be solicited without a formal vote,
> but I believe having the vote will encourage more members to submit
> serious comments.
>
> Jim Schoening
Jim,
I think that the general thrust of this is sorely needed, but I foresee,
from past experience with previous discussions, a couple of problems with
its likely effects.
1. I have duly attempted to study the 3 corpi of IFF, OpenCyc, and SUMO.
I find that the browser formats of presentation are very good tools for
hiding potential flaws. Overall, the 3 collections of texts vary in their
incomprehensibility from the extremely high to the ne plus ultra. And the
labor of critique has always been totally thankless and without result,
no matter how much one tries to molly-coddle the sensitive souls who
generated them, if they ever even bother to reply.
2. In my experience with professional, research, and technical presentations,
the authors or presenters do not invite the editors or reviewers into
their attic to rummage through their notes looking for something
worth commenting on, but are expected to take the lead role and
the forthright responsibility of putting their own best feet
forward and in championing their positions, with all due
humility needed to learn from expert critique.
Therefore, let me suggest that the champions of the 3 contributions
be the ones to select and defend the work that they will present,
piece by piece, for review in this forum. Honestly, I cannot
imagine how any standards body anywhere could possibly be
expected to operate any other way.
Respectfully,
Jon Awbrey
o~~~~~~~~~o~~~~~~~~~o~~~~~~~~~o~~~~~~~~~o~~~~~~~~~o