resuming progress on TAP

[Andy Lawrence at ROE]

Dear all

I have refrained from jumping in before now because my head is  
spinning : from the technicalities as well as the pyschodrama !  
However, it seems to me that Pat's new proposal - core TAP plus  
documents specifying "payloads" or "capabilities" is absolutely spot  
on, with an important proviso.

This proposal is right not just because it will break the logjam but  
also because it will future-proof TAP. For example if ADQL is revised,  
the TAP document does not need to change; and if someone invents a new  
payload or capability, it can be added without changing the TAP  
document.

However, as many have said it is important that we keep to previous  
agreements.  As well as the QL-mandatory business, it also means that  
we must deliver QL and PARAM versions as a single package. To keep  
this agreement, if we logically decouple them, as I believe we should,  
then the docs for TAP-core, QL defn and PARAM defn must be delivered   
as a single package. QL defn we already have of course.

This means two things. First that the drafts of these docs should be  
presented for comment at the same time (and very soon please !).  
Second, that TAP-core and PARAM-defn should be offered to IVOA/TCG/ 
Exec to be approved at the same time.

       andy

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Andy Lawrence : Regius Professor of Astronomy, University of Edinburgh
Institute for Astronomy,  Royal Observatory, Blackford Hill, Edinburgh
Email al at roe.ac.uk  Phone +44-(0)131-668-8346
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Temporary Location : KIPAC, SLAC, Menlo Park, CA, USA
Email : axl at slac.stanford.edu    Phone : +1-650-926-4828
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