TAP: Summary

[Douglas Tody]

Hi Keith -

This looks reasonable and is in line with what we need for VAO.
I agree with Guy that we would like to get the TAP SCHEMA and a
synchronized VODataService to as good a state as possible for this
version, so long as it does not delay things beyond early summer.
The param query should be most of the way there for a V1.0, with some
reworking of the documents.  Other issues such as UTYPE and VOSpace
integration (probably also tweaks to advanced ADQL functionality)
will require more prototyping before they can be finalized, hence
should be deferred as you suggest.

 	- Doug


On Tue, 5 May 2009, Keith Noddle wrote:

> Chaps,
>
> I've been overwhelmed (figuratively and literally) by the sheer volume and 
> depth of discussion that has gone into TAP of late; thank you one and all. We 
> have under three weeks remaining until the Strasbourg Interop and I think 
> everyone is agreed: we MUST have TAP ready to take the next step in the 
> standards process at the end of that meeting.
>
> My roadmap for TAP is as follows:
>
> * Review and categorise remaining discussion points
> * Anything that is not absolutely critical to TAP V1.0 should be
>  moved to TAP V1.1
> * Discuss and reach agreement on TAP V1.0 points
> * Publish TAP V0.5 before Strasbourg
> * Discuss details in Strasbourg
> * Move TAP forwards in the standards process very soon after the
>  Interop with the aim of getting a recommended standard in the
>  weeks following the meeting
>
> =====================================================
>
> Bigger brains than mine have been discussing issues I confess I find hard to 
> follow. However, as an adherent of Occam's Razor, I find myself agreeing with 
> Roy, Doug and Pat: now is the time to keep things as simple as possible (but 
> no simpler!). With that in mind, it seems to me the following is the list of 
> points outstanding:
>
> V1.0:
> • Sync column metadata decisions and VODataService
> • FIELD/PARAM format attribute (VOTable V1.2)
> • Articulate scope and role of the parameter query
>
> V1.1:
> • UTYPE in queries
> • VOSpace integration
> • Supported ADQL function capabilities
> • Extend TAP_SCHEMA and VODataService to describe primary and
>  foreign keys
> • Tableset metadata
>
> Note that I have arbitrarily allocated each issue to a version - please feel 
> free to amend this list. Hopefully I'm somewhere near, so I therefore ask 
> that we *focus heavily on the V1.0 issues* and return to the others post TAP 
> V1.0 reaching REC. At least itemising everything on the mailing list means 
> nothing should be lost.
>
> One last push, then beers in Strasbourg!
>
> Keith.
>
> -- 
> Keith Noddle                    Phone:  +44 (0)116 223 1894
> AstroGrid Project manager       Fax:    +44 (0)116 252 3311
> Dept of Physics & Astronomy     Mobile: +44 (0)7721 926 461
> University of Leicester         Skype:  keithnoddle
> Leicester                       Email:  ktn at star.le.ac.uk
> LE1 7RH, UK                     Web:    http://www.astrogrid.org
>