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Possible change to TC voting rules - input requested

  • 1.  Possible change to TC voting rules - input requested

    Posted 11-15-2006 00:59

    Disclaimer: This is my individual input based on my experience in OASIS (it is neither the consolidated input of my employer nor the SDD TC)

    First, I will echo previous comments about the impetus for the proposed change. Are there real problems or issues that need to be fixed? If not, perhaps the status quo is fine.

    Having said that, a cap on the number of votes a single company can cast is not necessarily objectionable. Ideally, this could be accomplished via a simple request to TC members rather than a rule change.

    If a rule change is truly necessary and should occur, I believe that the cap should be a fixed number, probably no less than 3, votes per company, rather than some formulaicly derived number or a "one company, one vote" method. Also, I think that the following considerations would need to be taken into account:
    • How would a vote cap relate to voting member status? Suppose a company has 5 voting members but a cap of 3 votes per company is imposed. Would the number of voting members per company be similarly capped? If not, what is the mechanism for the company to cast its votes? Managing a vote cap along with the list of voting members, which changes over time, could become a logistical problem.
    • If a rule change is approved, when would it become effective? It is possible that the progress and plans of certain TCs could be affected by a rule change such as the one proposed.

    In summary:
    • First, any requirement for a rule change should first be validated.
    • Second, if a rule change truly is required, I believe that it should be undertaken cautiously and be as simple, and cause the least amount of disruption, as possible, and should not discourage participation and contributions.

    Regards,
    Brent

    Brent A. Miller
    STSM, Autonomic Computing Architecture
    IBM Corp.
    Tel. 919-543-6959 (TIE 441)

    "In theory, there is no difference between theory and practice. But, in practice, there is."
    -- Jan L.A. van de Snepscheut