[Pgi-wg] Gridiron, or standardization gone backwards

[Oxana Smirnova]

Hi all,

I intended to comment on use cases, but feel like commenting on the very fact of their appearance.

When the PGI founders first met in September 2008 (yes, 2008), they produced a very advanced draft, almost a ready-made specification. The only reason they could not call it a specification was that they were nobody - that is, OGF did not know of them.

They didn't have to waste time on formalizing use cases and requirements, because all these were in their heads.

In football terms, they played by similar rules, and didn't have to explain to each other the gory details. They were driven by the desire to produce common rules of the game for themselves, such that they can play in the same league.

Then OGF kindly adopted the team, but at the cost of putting forward formal requirements. No forward movement happened since. First step backwards was to trim the specs to a "strawman". Second step backwards was to drop the strawman and collect requirements. The third step backwards was to go back to use cases. I dread to think what will be the next PGI decision? To create itself?

In September 2008 we thought that by December same year we'll have the core specs. Two years later we are discussing what is the best template for use cases and which teleconferencing tool to use. This is, well, unbelievable.

And Ithink I know the reason.  We try to compare incomparable things.

Imagine an international football federation that brings together association football, American football, rugby, Australian rules football and all such things. And imagine this federation introducing common rules. What would this rule be? Right, "the game is played on a large field by two teams". Is there any practical use of this rule? No, every league will have to keep own "extensions".

Despite often looking brain-damaged, footballers are clever enough not to invent common football rules. They realize that the term is overloaded, and they manage to disambiguate it.

Grids brought together by PGI are as different as gridiron is different from soccer. Let's face it. They still can be played on the same pitch - meaning, they can use same hardware - but attempts to device common rules/specifications so far lead nowhere. It is as if gridiron guys would be keeping insisting that soccer has to be played with a ball that doesn't even look like a ball, and rugby folks would be agreeing, and soccer guys would be scratching their heads and meekly saying that their use case is actually to kick it with feet, not carry in armpits.

The analogy is probably not exactly accurate, but I am quite frustrated, as I can see no progress whatsoever. Of the original PGI "creators" only three are still attending the meetings - Johannes, Aleksandr and myself.

Any suggestions are welcomed.

Cheers,
Oxana
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