Java Specification Request for XML

[Elliotte Rusty Harold]

At 12:42 PM -0800 3/3/99, David Brownell wrote:


>The Java Community Process is an open, inclusive process and we
>look forward to the active particpation of all interested parties.
>

The process, and its relatnive openness, is a little more obvious if you
remove the passive voice. compare this:

>The process goes forward in several steps:
>
>[1] The JSR is presented for comment (as you've seen)
>[2] The JSR is approved (we hope)
>[3] An expert group is formed to write the specification; this
>    begins with a "Call for Experts" (CAFE) to participate.
>[4] The expert group writes a first draft of the specification
>[5] The draft is circulated to all Java technology licensees and
>    Participants in the Java Community Process.
>[6] Comments are collected, read, and responded to by the expert
>    group, resulting in an improved specification.
>[7] The refined specification is then released to the public for
>    comment.
>[8] Comments from the public are collected, read, and responded
>    to by the expert group, resulting in more refinements.
>[9] The final specification is produced by the expert group, along
>    with a reference implementation and compatibility tests.
>

to this:

[1] Sun presents the JSR for comment (as you've seen)
[2] Sun's Process Management Office approves the JSR.
[3] Sun forms an expert group to write the specification; this
    begins with a "Call for Experts" (CAFE) to participate.
    [Sun chooses the leader of the group, who then chooses
     the remainder of the experts.]
[4] The expert group writes a first draft of the specification
[5] Sun circulates the draft  to all Java technology licensees and
    Participants in the Java Community Process. [that is,
    companies who have paid Sun thousands of dollars to do this]
[6] The expert group collects, reads, and responds to comments,
    resulting in an improved specification.
[7] Sun releases the refined specification to the public for comment.
[8] The expert group collects, reads, and responds to comments,
    resulting in more refinements.
[9] The expert group produces the final specification, along
    with a reference implementation and compatibility tests.

>The key point is that everyone with internet access will get a
>chance to review and comment on the emerging specification.
>

They can review and comment. There's no promise that
anyone will even listen to their comments, much less act on them.

There are a number of aspects of this "open" process that aren't mentioned
here.

1. It costs between $2,000 (educational) and $5,000 (commercial) dollars to
participate as an expert.

2. Sun owns the copyright and other intellectual property rights related to
the spec. As owner, they will not allow derivative works they decide are
incompatible.

3. Participants in the expert group can't talk about the ongoing work with
outsiders.

4. Only company employees are allowed to be experts. Freelancers like many
of those who participated in the development of SAX and XML are excluded.
This is similar to W3C procedures, but the W3C allows exceptions for
recognized experts. Sun does not.

To me these alone make it pretty clear, that this process is open in name
only. If you're still not convinced, ask yourself these questions:

1. Can anyone tell Sun No? Can anyone keep Sun from putting something into
the spec they want to put it in? Or put something in that Sun wants to keep
out?

2. Can Sun's enemies (i.e. Microsoft, HP, etc.) particpate in this process
on an equal footing with Sun? Can they even participate at all?

Bottom line: The openness of this process is PR, pure and simple. When you
actually read the fine print, all Sun does is agree to let other companies
contribute their time, money, and knowledge to help Sun do what it wants to
do anyway.  That may be intelligent business, but it's not an open,
community based process for developing standards.



+-----------------------+------------------------+-------------------+
| Elliotte Rusty Harold | elharo at metalab.unc.edu | Writer/Programmer |
+-----------------------+------------------------+-------------------+
|        XML: Extensible Markup Language (IDG Books 1998)            |
|   http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ISBN=0764531999/cafeaulaitA/   |
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|  Read Cafe au Lait for Java News:  http://sunsite.unc.edu/javafaq/ |
|  Read Cafe con Leche for XML News: http://sunsite.unc.edu/xml/     |
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