Re: New Version Notification for draft-resnick-variance-00.txt

[Michael Richardson <[e-mail]>]

Pete Resnick <[e-mail]> wrote:
    >> I think it's perfectly reasonable to publish a BCP for a one-time
    >> variance.  On the other hand I think it's a Very Bad Idea to invent a
    >> lightweight variance procedure that allows for process exceptions that
    >> aren't documented in the normal means, and which fragment the historical
    >> record.   Though I don't doubt anyone's intentions here, a lightweight
    >> variance procedure will sooner or later inevitably be misused.    Also,
    >> it's never a great idea to hurriedly invent new process when doing so can
    >> be avoided.

    > If you read my draft, you'll notice that for all intents and purposes,
    > all of

I read it now.

    > the procedures of publishing a BCP are required anyway: It requires a written
    > draft, a minimum 4-week last call, and a conclusion of consensus by the
    > IESG. The only thing that is different is that it doesn't require publication
    > as an RFC, addition to the BCP series, or an additional RFC or moving it to
    > Historic when it no longer applies (because, as the draft says, it can't last
    > longer than a year without actually publishing a BCP). So I don't see what
    > the misuse vector you're seeing is.

I would be happier if the variance was recorded as more than an Internet-Draft.
I understand the desire not to issue an RFC/BCP, and certainly not to wait
for the RFC-EDITOR to process it.  I suggest that the errata process be used.

In particular, should the document ever get revised, then the one-time
variance would get recorded as an appendix.  If any other RFCs were published
as a result of the variance (i.e. if the variance was a suspension of some other
publication rule), then those documents would need to indicate this case.

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