tools forum idea for IETF 98

[Alia Atlas <[e-mail]>]

There have been some discussions about having a meeting at IETF 98 to
discuss existing experimental tools and encourage discussion among those
working on tools to handle specific issues.  The basic meeting description
is

Tools are a critical mechanism through which IETF work can be done with
less effort.  Some IETF tools (e.g. datatracker, xml2rfc, etc.) are at a
high level of maturity and deployment.  Many other tools have either not
yet reached a maturity suitable for wide-spread use or struggle to spread
knowledge of their existence and use.   Still other potential tools are
merely partially brainstormed ideas looking for others motivated to
discuss, implement and try.  This meeting provides a mechanism to spread
knowledge of experimental tools to those interested and get feedback on
those tools.  It also provides time and focus for finding others interested
in particular tool ideas and discussing how to progress them.   It should
be augmented before IETF 98 with a wiki of experimental tool pointers and
tool ideas.


              Agenda:  30 minutes of new tools lightning talks
                            60 minutes of small group discussion on
different tool areas

If you would be interested in doing a lightning talk for a tool which
hasn't gained IETF-wide use, please let us know in the next week.

If you would be interested in facilitating discussion for a particular tool
area, please let us know in the next week.  If you are interested in
suggesting a tool area for discussion and want to be involved in that,
please let us know.

Once we understand what the interest level is in active participation, then
we can figure out how is best to organize this.

Thanks,
Alia Atlas & Robert Sparks