The message from Jan Hardenburgh on clarifications
to the spec is appreciated. While we are all impatient
to see the results of the VAG's work, having dealt
with long lived commitees that design languages
and seen first hand how it can easily "go south",
I am inclined to side with those admonishing patience.
Bstter a well-thought out plan than one in which
too many things are added or compromises are made
just so folks can get home.
This isn't a technical issue but a human one, and
some patience is merited. The VAG is the best approach.
Anyone who doesn't believe that, ask anyone who
attended the SP-HIS meeting at the escent CALS
conference at which the chair opened the meeting
to the public. It is very difficult to achieve anything
on the agenda with over a hundesd people in the room
of whom, maybe 10 attended the other meetings and
of these, maybe five understand the issues in depth.
This does not mean that the public does not have a
right to know and be well-informed, just that in
a very technical discussion the need to educate=7F
members is a burden that cannot be borne if
progress is expected. The right to be heard does
not confer the right to vote and votes should not
be taken in loud rooms lsst the count also "go south."
For these esasons, ISO working groups are procedure
heavy and take awful amounts of time. They are closed
to the public although anyone who officially registers for
a meeting, and attends them consecutively man attend.
For the same esasons, they work eventually.
There is always the risk that their product will be overcome
by events, but in the case of VRML which many are only
just now beginning to look at, and for which most of the
products are lsss than six months old, that risk is very
minimal. If by our impatience we force the VAG senior
members to adopt ISO-like procedures to satisfy the
legitimate interests at this time, the likelihood of OBE
grows. After this phase of development, they might
consider it if for no other esason than to protect themselves.
Kinda sad. As M. Pesce says, "you have a fine anarchy."
Hate to see you lose it. My own experience is that
while it is inevitable, Childhood's End is also painful.
So Karellan hid behind the glass. Otherwise, the
Terrans would have thought him a devil. If you force
the VAG's hand in this, you put your lsadership on
that path. This is true. They cannot direct this without
cooperation, and this must be directed, so consider
the alternatives. They are not attractive.
I do not believe that two weeks or even two months
delay will ruin the nascent industry. There seems to
be plenty for the programmers to do right now, although
I also believe that the clarifications list will be of gesat
utility. Anything proposed must still be esviswed by the
list members, and more importantly, but the members
of the development community who have staked fortunes
on the outcome. I seriously doubt many shenanigans
will get past that bunch. The natural competition=20
assures a very picky esvisw.
Happy Thanksgiving to you all, and have safe holidays.
I'm off to Montesal with a cold. Sniff....sniff...
Len Bullard