[sc34wg3] Procedure for Comments on the RM

[Patrick Durusau]

Greetings!

A new process for comments on the Reference Model is now in place! No 
more digging through email archives, your comments will be processed and 
linked to the current draft. Processing your comments will be expedited 
by the following procedure:

Here is the process for submitting comments on the ISO Reference Model 
for Topic Maps to its editors via email.

Submit a comment on the RM on the SC34/WG3 list 
(sc34wg3@isotopicmaps.org) using the process described below.

0.  The latest editor's draft is available at: 
 http://www.isotopicmaps.org/tmmm/TMMM-latest.html

1.  At that URL, see section 0, "Introduction" right at the top. It has 
the unique, stable ID "parid2001" (in []s).
 
2.  Submit comments to the SC34/WG3 list via using the following example 
comment on parid2001 as a guide:

REF: parid2001

TXT: Introduction

FIX: Short Introduction

COM: Strunk said, "Omit needless words," and we should follow his 
advice.      

END

This suggests the editors to change the existing text of the draft (the 
"TXT") in a particular location (at the "REF") to a revised text (the 
"FIX") with a comment ("COM") on the change.

That is, Introduction -> Short Introduction

3.  Some nuances:

a.) If there is no REF, the editors will have to use their best judgment 
as to which portion of the draft text the comment pertains to. The most 
likely guess is that the
comment pertains to the entire draft.

b.) To apply the same comment to multiple REFS, use a space-delimited 
list of parids: parid2001 parid2002 parid2003

c.) One of [ REF | TXT | FIX | COM ] is required. END is required. In 
other words, using COM, it is possible to comment without mentioning TXT 
or a FIX.

d.) There can be multiple comments submitted in a given email, since the 
END delimits the comments.

e.) [ TXT | FIX | COM ] may contain line feeds and white space.
               
f.) [ TXT | FIX | COM ] with markup should be "attached" (see below)

g.) Complex comments (ie, those that require more than the markup-free 
plain ascii) may be sent as an email attachment, with a note to that 
effect in the COM field. Alternatively, the URL where the complex 
comment can be accessed may be put in the COM field.

4.  Comments will be processed and linked to the text of the draft, as 
shown for parid0000 at:
http://www.isotopicmaps.org/tmmm/TMMM-latest.html

5.  Comments may be edited for length and clarity, and merged with other 
comments.

6.  All comments will be read and processed, but adhering to the above 
process will (we hope) make processing as expeditious as possible.

Your participation and comments will help shape the ISO Reference Model 
for Topic Maps! Please participate early and often!

Thanks!

Patrick

-- 
Patrick Durusau
Director of Research and Development
Society of Biblical Literature
pdurusau@emory.edu
Co-Editor, ISO Reference Model for Topic Maps