Re: Alternative (H2)

[Robert Elz <kre@munnari.OZ.AU>]

    Date:        Sat, 31 May 2003 20:28:41 -0400
    From:        RJ Atkinson <rja@extremenetworks.com>
    Message-ID:  <FE9BAE1C-93C7-11D7-BDF6-00039357A82A@extremenetworks.com>

  | To try to be clear, in the English language as used in Virginia, where
  | I happen to live, "deadlock" has the meaning "not getting a decision".

This doesn't matter much, but for me, deadlock generally means that
something is preventing a decision being made, despite attempts to get
there, and would normally not include "sorry, we haven't even started yet".

But the latter is as much a (potential) problem for us.

  | 	My primary goal is to ensure that we get some decision,

Yes, that's what I thought, and that's what I think is the wrong approach.

Rather, what we should be doing is defining what happens when no decision
is obtained (no matter what reason), rather than attempting to arbitrarily
force one.   This is more general, simpler, and with less side issues to
deal with.

  | The problem we are fixing is a known *inability* to make a decision
  | in some cases.

Fine, but what about a possible unwillingness to make a decision.
While we're fixing it, now it has our attention, why not fix all cases?

  | If you really think you will persuade folks, a more productive approach
  | might be to post some specific proposed text (call it "J" maybe)
  | and see if others buy into that.

I sent proposed text several days ago (without the luxury of an appended
letter, but I think we can survive without that).

kre