progress on TAP

[Fabio Pasian]

Dear all, 

I have been following the recent discussions and would like to make a comment, of course not 
of technical nature, but basically on the procedural side. 

The way of proceeding in the IVOA, in my experience, has always been progressing by consensus 
and sticking to the decisions agreed upon. 

Some of the e-mail which appeared on the DAL distribution list did not follow this approach, and reiterated old arguments which had already been settled, in Trieste and even before. 

My opinion is that Keith's original proposal of having two different version of the document, the first for TAP/QL (mandatory) and a second one for TAP/Param (optional), has its value because it separates the sequence of agreements. But that is true *if and only if* the document is to remain a single one, i.e. if the standard remains just one. 

The current agreement is that TAP 1) must have ADQL capability, and 2) it will have Param capability as an option. Let's please stick to this decision. Going back to the community at the next interop saying that we are back at square one, at the time we should be deploying services long awaited for, would be extremely depressing. Would hate to move further away from the goal line: I think I am with Ray on this one. 

I would finally like to urge that the DAL group, learning from mistakes made in the past, prepares a document which is clear and usable by implementors, with no ambiguities. This is what the community needs, fast. You are almost there, please do the extra effort of taking a fresh unbiased look at things and of completing the 5% which is still missing.

Frendliest regards, Fabio

PS: I have random connection to the Internet this week, and will unfortunately be away from my e-mail until Friday evening, GMT. Worst time in the world to let that happen ... 

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Fabio Pasian - Head, INAF Information Systems Unit
INAF - Osservatorio Astronomico di Trieste 
Via G.B.Tiepolo 11 - I 34143 Trieste - ITALY
phone: +39 040 3199180 - fax: +39 040 309418 
skype: fabio.pasian
e-mail: pasian at oats.inaf.it
URL: http://wwwas.oats.inaf.it/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=51&Itemid=99
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