Re: [Rfced-future] [IAB] Welcome to the RFC Editor Future Development Program

[Mark Nottingham <[e-mail]>]

Hi Brian,

Sorry for the delay, things intervened.

> On 1 Apr 2020, at 1:17 pm, Brian E Carpenter <[e-mail]> wrote:
> 
>>>> My preference is that we define the job such that it is clearly the RFC Editor's job to lead that discussion / process.
>>> 
>>> I very strongly agree with that, but to my mind that requires that we agree on the principle that the RFC Editor is autonomous and the series is not controlled by the IETF or, except at a very abstract level, by the IAB.
>> 
>> I don't see how that follows. We have plenty of people who lead discussions and processes in this community, and yet they still have oversight, checks and balances. There may be reasons for exempting the RSE from them, but declaring that special status as a presumption seems odd in a program with our scope.
> 
> I won't repeat what I said in https://www.ietf.org/archive/id/draft-carpenter-request-for-comments-01.txt, but I will assume you've read it.

I had, but I've re-read it to refresh my memory. FWIW, I agree with much of what you say there, but don't always share your conclusions. Happy to discuss that when and where it's appropriate.

> Of course, being autonomous shouldn't mean exemption from checks and balances. However, in the case of the RSE (and unlike most of our activities), it really isn't clear which community should implement those checks and balances. And the evidence from the IAOC and the RSOC is that we aren't very good at designing oversight functions. I think that's our biggest challenge.

Agreed regarding the challenge. Perhaps "autonomous" isn't the right word; it just struck me as odd. 

Cheers,

--
Mark Nottingham   https://www.mnot.net/