MType list

[Douglas Tody]

Hi -

I suggest a multi-level, open approach:

     o	The SAMP spec references an IVOA Note defining and collating
 	current mtype conventions (alternatively this could be any
 	other form of computer/human readable text maintained in
 	a known location).  The Note, or whatever, is periodically
 	updated, and subjected to some expert review and feedback to
 	contributors in the process.

     o	An IVOA TWiki page (along with the mailing list) is used as a
 	more informal, anyone-can-contribute location for documenting
 	new mtypes.  This is used as input for updating the Note
 	periodically, but allows interchange of new mtype dialects
 	on an immediate basis.

     o	In all cases mtypes should be organized into dialects of some
 	form (groupings of related mtypes), designed for some specific
 	purpose which is documented along with the specific types.
 	One wants to be able to see all the related mtypes at once,
 	to understand what is available for a particular type of
 	interaction (rather than for example defining each as a distinct
 	ivorn as has been suggested in some other contexts).

Since message type dialects are informal, anyone should be able to
create new ones.  However some will be more widely used and generally
applicable than others, so having a level of review and prioritization
is desirable.

 	- Doug


On Mon, 19 Jan 2009, Mark Taylor wrote:

> Dear sampers,
>
> The formal RFC period for the SAMP PR is now at an end, and the comments 
> gathered look mostly quite positive.  There are a number of editorial items 
> that (which??) I will address over the next day or two and issue a modified 
> document.
>
> One point which has been brought up by three of the reviewers is the
> arrangement for documenting the list of non-administrative MTypes, discussed 
> in section 5.3.  This section is deliberately vague about where this list is 
> kept, in order to allow flexibility about how/where MTypes are defined, and 
> not to tie it to the SAMP document itself.  At present, the list of MTypes is 
> on the not-particularly-easy-to-find wiki page at:
>
>   http://www.ivoa.net/cgi-bin/twiki/bin/view/IVOA/SampMTypes
>
> In practice, the only way that developers are likely to find this
> is by asking somebody who already knows where it is, which I admit
> is not very satisfactory.