Subject: SC22 N2590 - SC22 Chairman Report on JTC 1 Plenary

From: "william c. rinehuls" <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 22 Sep 1997 12:08:44 -0400 (EDT)

__________________ beginning of title page ________________________
ISO/IEC JTC 1 SC22
Programming languages, their environments and system software interfaces
Secretariat:  U.S.A.  (ANSI)

ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC22
N2590

TITLE:
SC22 Chairman's Report on the ISO/IEC JTC 1 Plenary and SC Chairmen's
Forum on September 8-12, 1997 in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

DATE ASSIGNED:
1997-09-22

SOURCE:
Secretariat, ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC22

BACKWARD PINTER:
N/A

DOCUMENT TYPE:
Chairman's Report

PROJECT NUMBER:
N/A

STATUS:
N/A

ACTION IDENTIFIER:
FYI

DUE DATE:
N/A

DISTRIBUTION:
Text

CROSS REFERENCE:
N/A

DISTRIBUTION FORM:
Def

Address reply to:
ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC22 Secretariat
William C. Rinehuls
8457 Rushing Creek Court
Springfield, VA 22153 USA
Telephone:  +1 (703) 912-9680
Fax:  +1 (703) 912-2973
email:  [email-masked]

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15 September 1997

To: SC22 National Bodies and Working Group Conveners

Subject: JTC1 Plenary and SC Chairmen's Forum in Ottawa, Canada, 
	 8-12 September 1997
                                                                                          
I would like to report to you on the results of the JTC1 Plenary meeting
and the Subcommittee Chairmen's Forum immediately preceding it in Ottawa,
Canada, during the period 8-12 September 1997. 

At the JTC1 Plenary, a number of topics of interest to SC22 were
discussed, as follows: 

* Agenda items specifically mentioning SC22. 

  -- JTC1 instructed the JTC1 Secretariat to request approval from the ISO
and IEC Councils to place on the World Wide Web the Technical Corrigenda
and Records of Responses to ISO/IEC 8652, Programming Language Ada. 

  -- I presented an overview of the SC22 Business Plan.  Each SC Chairman
was given five minutes for a presentation at the plenary.  I also reported
on our work program review and "late projects" review, as requested by
JTC1.  There were no questions or comments from the floor. 

* Technical Directions and Organizational Structure.  JTC1 produced a
revised document on technical directions, organizational structure, and
modes of operation, which will be issued as JTC1 N5016.  In the resulting
organization, SCs 14, 18, 21, and 30 are disbanded (either immediately or
following one additional plenary) and two new SCs are created: SC32 on
Data Management Services and SC33 on Distributed Application Services. 
Since its work has been completed, the Ad Hoc on Reengineering was
terminated.  In other organizational matters: 

  -- SGFS.  JTC1 disbanded SGFS but retained the concept of profiling and
the ability to process ISPs.

  -- Conformity Assessment and Interoperability.  JTC1 disbanded the
Special Working Group on Conformity Assessment since the major work items
assigned to it have been completed; in its place, a Conformity Assessment
and Interoperability Rapporteur Group was established in order to take
advantage of the experience accumulated by SWG-CA.  A liaison was
appointed between JTC1 and ISO/CASCO.  As a result of SWG-CA
recommendations, JTC1 agreed to add a new section to the NP form to
address conformity assessment and interoperability, if relevant to the
project.  JTC1 also agreed to modify the Business Plan format to mention
this subject in section 3.3 on work program priorities.

  -- SWG-GII.  JTC1 disbanded the Special Working Group on Global
Information Infrastructure effective 31 December 1997, after one
additional meeting to complete the JTC1 GII Roadmap and GII Overview.  In
its place, a GII Rapporteur Group was established to maintain the Roadmap,
assist in progression of the Overview document, and serve as a JTC1 focal
point for GII matters.  JTC1 approved recommendations from SWG-GII to be
forwarded to NBs and SCs for immediate use and implementation. 

  -- SWG-RA.  JTC1 disbanded the one remaining SWG, on registration
authorities, and converted it to a rapporteur group as well. 

  -- SPRG.  JTC1 disbanded the Strategic Planning Rapporteur Group, noting
that the JTC1 Business Plan was the appropriate document in which to
capture strategic elements. 

* Executive Summary for Standards.  JTC1 approved a requirement that its
standards development groups develop an "Executive Summary" to accompany
standards.  This will be a separate document for information and
distribution purposes, although it could also be used in the standard
itself as an introduction.  The intent is to use the executive summary in
external communication and information efforts.  Although it will be
required during the review period and may be subject to comment, its
content will not be part of the ballot on the standard. 

* JTC1 Strategy for Implementation of Information Technology.  JTC1
approved the JTC1 Policy on Electronic Document Distribution Using the
World Wide Web, JTC1 N4761 (SC22 N2512), and reaffirmed the Web
implementation timeline in JTC1 N4796 (SC22 N2514), including the intent
to meet the December 1997 target date for implementation of server-based
document distribution.  JTC1 authorized an additional meeting of the IT Ad
Hoc (probably in 1Q98) to prepare a disposition of comments on several
ballots, provide assistance to NBs and SCs regarding any questions that
may arise, propose any recommended modified or additional policies, and
prepare a final report.  I expect that our interpretation request will be
addressed at this meeting.

* Cultural Adaptability Workshop.  JTC1 thanked SC2 for its offer to
sponsor and organize the JTC1 Cultural Adaptability Workshop, and the
National Body of Canada for its offer to host it in Ottawa.  Tentative
dates are 20-22 January 1998.  The SC2 chairman has assured me that the
SC22 representatives we appointed at our plenary will be added to the
workshop planning committee. 

* CALS.  JTC1 endorsed the Rapporteurs report on the High Level Steering
Group on CALS and requested that SCs and WGs distribute the report to
their members.  Several recommendations apply to SCs in general and one to
SC22 in particular. 

* Technical Corrigenda.  JTC1 decided that Technical Corrigenda under
ballot in an SC will no longer be distributed at the JTC1 level, with the
proviso that JTC1 must be kept informed of any Technical Corrigenda under
development and/or submitted to ITTF for publication. 

* JTC1 Directives.  JTC1 instructed its Secretariat to begin a revision of
the JTC1 Directives and authorized a Procedures Ad Hoc meeting in early
1998.  NBs and SCs are requested to comment and provide specific
suggestions for changes and improvements to the JTC1 Directives by 1
January 1998. 

At the SC Chairmen's Forum immediately preceding the JTC1 plenary, there
were two items of particular interest: 

* Maintenance of Mature Standards.  We discussed the new procedure
proposed by SC21 for the maintenance of mature standards.  It was agreed
that this would not be adopted as a JTC1 procedure and that SCs would be
free to implement whatever is appropriate for their circumstances within
the framework of the JTC1 Directives. 

* Combined NP/CD Procedure.  In a discussion of the new DIS procedure, it
became evident that Keith Brannon of ITTF has a different interpretation
of the Directives than what we concluded at our plenary in August.  In our
SC22 plenary discussion, we noted that the combined NP/CD ballot procedure
was adopted prior to the existence of an FCD ballot and we decided it was
reasonable to assume that the combined procedure could apply either to a
combined NP/CD ballot or to a combined NP/FCD ballot.  Mr. Brannon does
not agree that the combined procedure can be used for an FCD ballot.  In
the ITTF view, the combined procedure is limited to NP/CD ballots.  The
FCD ballot must follow as a separate ballot. 

Finally, although not on the JTC1 agenda, the subject of Java was on the
minds of many participants in Ottawa.  Jim Mitchell, Vice President of
Technology for Sun's JavaSoft Division, hosted a meeting after the plenary
on Tuesday to explain Sun's views on the PAS ballot issues and take
comments and questions.  In the approximately one hour meeting, Sun stated
its intention to respond positively to all concerns raised in ballot
comments. 

Where actions are required, the JTC1 Secretariat will distribute separate
communications to NBs and SCs.  When applicable to SC22, we will
distribute copies as they become available. 

Robert H. Follett
Chairman

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