Subject: Draft Transition Plan for Implementation of IT in JTC 1

From: Steve Carson <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 23 Dec 1996 09:33:17 -0700

Below you will find the text of JTC1 N4244R which (despite what it says in
the status line) is circulated for comment to both JTC1 NBs and JTC1 SCs.
If anyomne has any comments could you please e-mail Jean and I with them by
Friday 24 January so that we can prepare the SC24 response.

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[[ J1N4244C.TXT : 3930 in J1N4244C.TXT ]][[ J1N4244R.TXT : 3931 in 
J1N4244R.TXT ]]                                  

ISO/IEC JTC 1                                                         
Information Technology                                                

ISO/IEC  JTC 1 N 4244revised                   

DATE:  1996.12.20     

REPLACES                                     

DOC TYPE:
Other document                                                        

TITLE:
Draft Transition Plan for Implementation of IT in JTC 1               

SOURCE:
JTC 1 Ad Hoc on Strategy for Implementing IT                          

PROJECT:                   

STATUS:
This document is circulated to JTC 1 National Bodies for review and   
comemnt by 31 January 1997.  Comments received will be considered at  
the 25-27 Feb. 1997 Ad Hoc meeting in Washington, DC.                 

ACTION ID:  ACT 

DUE DATE:  1997.01.31

DISTRIBUTION:  P and L Members                                             

MEDIUM:  D

DISKETTE NO.:  98        

NO. OF PAGES:  5         

Secretariat, ISO/IEC JTC 1, American National Standards Institute, 11 
West 42nd Street, New York, NY  10036; Telephone:  1 212 642 4932;    
Facsimile:  1 212 398 0023; Email:  [email-masked]                 

	ISO/IEC JTC 1 N 4244 revError! Bookmark not defined.
	(Revised N 3901)
DIN-NI/1995-12-09

ISO/IEC JTC 1
Information Technology
Secretariat:
National Body (ANSI)

TITLE:	Draft Transition Plan for Implementation of
IT in JTC 1
1

0	Introductory Remarks

This proposal for the JTC 1 IT
transition plan (ITTP) tries to specify certain reasonable stages of
electronic document distribution in JTC 1 as well as conditions and reasons
for transition from one to the next stage. The proposal refers to the
"Revised JTC 1 Policy on Electronic Document Distribution" (JTC 1 N 4054
rev.) and the "Strategy Recommendation on Implementing IT" (JTC 1 N 3721).

Where data transmission services are mentioned in the proposal, the neutral
terms "e-mail" and "file transfer" are used. The authors are aware of the
high probability that Internet services will be used because of their good
availability. But, in accordance with the strategy document, JTC 1 should
always try to implement solutions based on ISs.

The temporary application of e-mail or reflectors in WGs or ad-hoc groups
and the installation of WWW servers for information of the public are not
within the scope of this proposal.

It is the decision of each committee and its subsidiary bodies (members of
the distribution list as defined in section 8.3 of the ISO/IEC JTC 1
Directives) which stage should be applied. Usage of electronic document
distribution shall not be used to preclude a member from participation in
the technical work.

To evaluate the successful implementation of a certain stage of electronic
document distribution it should be checked, whether
-	the document distribution has been accelerated,
-	the information needs of the members have been satisfied,
-	the effort of all participating parties for distribution and reception of
documents has been reduced
compared to the previous stage.

The original document JTC 1 N 3901 was discussed an revised at the meeting
of the JTC 1 Ad Hoc on Implementing Information Technology, 30 September to
2 October in London, UK.

1	Stages

Stage 0 - Distribution of paper documents

All JTC 1 documents are distributed as paper documents. A well established
technology exists

a -	for management of distribution lists,
b -	for numbering of documents,
c -	for document formatting,
d -	for content and layout of cover sheets,
e -	for content, layout and distribution period of document registers,
f -	for receiving, processing, copying and redistributing of documents by
NBs (by recipients),
g -	for document archives.

Stage 1 - Distribution of electronically available documents via diskettes

Documents available in electronic form are distributed via diskettes,
documents only available in paper form are distributed as paper documents.

a -	Management of distribution lists:
As in Stage 0, because diskettes are mailed via postal service.
b -	Numbering of documents:
As in Stage 0. However, additional numbering of diskettes and naming of
files is necessary, see JTC 1 N 4054 rev.
c -	Document formatting:
As in Stage 0, plus formatting guidelines for document files as in JTC 1 N
4054 rev.
d -	Cover sheet:
As in Stage 0, but as separate file.
e -	Document register:
A continuous document register as in Stage 0 is recommended, with an
indication for each document, whether the document was distributed as file
or as paper document, plus human readable and downloadable read-me files
according to JTC 1 N 4054 rev.on the diskette for the documents contained
on the diskette.
f -	Receiving, processing, copying, and redistributing of documents:
In the case of redistribution, facilities for copying of diskettes are
necessary.
If reception, redistribution and/or archiving of paper documents is
required, printing of the documents is necessary.
g -	Document archives:
Two possibilities exist:
-	to archive all documents as paper documents,
-	to archive only paper documents as paper documents and to archive
electronically distributed documents on diskettes or file server.
	(In the preferable latter case it is necessary to identify in the document
register where to search for the document, see "e").

Necessary improvements during application of Stage 1 before proceeding to
the next stage:

-	Reduction of the number of different text processing systems to ease
handling of documents in secretariats, to reduce required storage capacity,
and to reduce transmission time for the next stages.

-	Solution for compression of data with respect to future stages.

Stage 2 - Document distribution via e-mail

The implementation of this stage based solely on e-mail is not feasable
because of the limited size of the files that can be attached. Its
implementation based on file transfer leads directly to stage 3.

Stage 3 - Document service via file server with active distribution of
document register information

a -	Management of distribution lists:
The access to the file server should be restricted to the members of the
distribution list.
b -	Numbering of documents:
As in Stage 1, but numbering of diskettes is no more necessary.
c -	Document formatting:
As in Stage 1
d -	Cover sheet:
As in Stage 1, but as a separate file.
e -	Document register (see JTC 1 N 4054 rev. clauses 4.4.4 and 4.4.5):
Continuous downloadable document register with actual updates. The document
register is the only document which is required to be distributed actively
by the secretariat concerned, e.g. once a week per mail or e-mail.

f -	Receiving, processing, copying, and redistribution of documents:
In the case of redistribution via file server, no further actions are
necessary.
g -	Document archives:
Just to maintain the file server.

In stage 3 investigations should be made into the transposition of the
remaining few paper documents into electronic documents (e.g. via
transmission from paper fax to PC fax and by including the resulting format
into the table of recommended formats of JTC 1 N 4054 rev.)
It is the duty of the secretariats at each level (JTC 1, SCs, NBs) have
administrated authority to maintain their own file server according to
their distribution list and to provide access only for the members of the
distribution list (e.g. a given NB secretariat is on the JTC 1 distribution
list and downloads a document from the JTC 1 file server into its own file
server to which the members of the NBs distribution list have access). This
is in order to control access to standardization documents and to save
transmission costs. Agreements are possible between neighbouring NBs to
share a file server.
Wherever access control is required, access control may be provided via a
password, or other equally secure mechanisms such as hidden directory name,
which can be obtained from the national body.

3	Stage Transitions

Stage transitions are a matter on which the members of a distribution list
and the secretariat managing the distribution list should decide.
They depend on
-	how perfectly secretariat and members of the distribution list master the
current state,
-	whether or not the secretariat is ready to master the next stage,
-	the percentage of members of the distribution list, who can apply the
next stage. If the pecentage is not 100%, the secretariat has to decide
whether it can manage two stages at the same time.

>From the point of view of efficiency in the secretariat, the secretariat
should maintain only one stage or at maximum two stages at the same time.

JTC 1 is currently in stage 1. 

Transition Stage 0 to Stage 1

-	Stage 0 is perfectly mastered.
-	All redistributors (NBs and SC/WG secretariats) have access to a diskette
copying facility.
-	All members of distribution lists have PC and printer access.
-	It can be guaranteed that all members will have identical print outs of a
document (same page numbers, same diagrams, etc.).
In the case of large files with figures and voluminous tables, where a
print out is none the less required (e.g., in the case of test suites),
printing might become extremely time consuming. This might mean that for
the first transition step to be successful, paper copies of very large
documents should be available from the international secretariat on request
(say, within a certain period of time) by the national body. It is up to
the international secretariat to ask the editor of such a large document to
supply a paper copy in parallel to diskettes.

Transition Stage 1 to Stage 2

(The implementation of stage 2 is not recommended)

-	Stage 1  is perfectly mastered.
-	JTC 1, all redistributors (NBs and SC/WG secretariats), and all committee
members have access to file transfer services (for security reasons, this
might take some time).

Transition to Stage 3

-	Stage 1, or 2 are perfectly mastered.
-	JTC 1 and all redistributors (NBs and SC/WG secretariats) are able to
install file servers with access control so that access is restricted to
members of the distribution list.
-	Commitee members have access to file tranfer.

In the case of international or regional servers, access control would be
difficult to realize. Furthermore, this could cause problems in case of
letter ballots.

For all stages, as a back up, the secretariat should be ready to provide
paper versions for large documents on request.

Draft Transition Plan for Implementation of IT in JTC 1 Page 4 of 4

Draft Transition Plan for Implementation of IT in JTC 1 Page 3 of 4

Steve Carson
Chair, ISO/IEC JTC1/SC24
Computer Graphics and Image Processing
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Steve Carson                 phone:   +1-505-521-7399
GSC Associates Inc.          fax:     +1-505-521-9321
5272 Redman Road             e-mail:  [email-masked]
Las Cruces, NM 88011 USA
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