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

[John C Klensin <[e-mail]>]

--On Wednesday, April 1, 2020 00:11 +0300 Jari Arkko
<[e-mail]> wrote:

>> Should the program worry about the structure of the series or
>> should the program worry about putting in place someone who
>> could lead the community in worrying about the structure of
>> the series (among other things)?  

> Definitely the latter.

Jari,

I think it is not as simple as the dichotomy in Eliot's question
implies. 

I'd like to assume, perhaps incorrectly, that the "among other
things" in that question implies the kind of expertise in
publications and editorial strategy that were part of Heather's
job description.   If that is true, then getting such a person
in place is going to require a job description that is
sufficiently specific to allow recruiting the type of person we
want (and excluding others).  Stephen's comment about the
relationship to the RPC is actually a good example of that.
I'll respond to that suggestions separately to keep this one
from becoming long, but the answer, one way or the other,
changes the RSE role significantly enough to probably make some
people qualified under one conclusion and others qualified under
either.  Of course we could write a job description that said
"well, maybe this will change and be added or deleted from the
job", but my experience, including with people with whom we
discussed the job that was ultimately given to Heather, is such
as statement will cause otherwise-qualified possible applicants
to decide it is not a job that they want.

On the other hand, if the only role we care about is to "lead
the community in worrying...", then almost anyone in the IETF
with a history (and wide community recognition and respect) of
being able to lead efforts, foster consensus, and stay
personally balanced on the issues rather than, even
unintentionally, trying to drive conclusions one way or the
other could do the job -- no specialized technical publications
strategy background required.  As an obvious example, you would
be excellent if you were willing to take it on and had the time.


The other problem, of course, is that going very far in that
direction might mean we wouldn't have an RSE in place until the
middle of 2021, if we concluded we need an RSE at all.

best,
   john