RE: Developing software for IETF/IRTF groups

[<john.loughney@nokia.com>]

Hi Yakov,

> I was directed here by Harald from the IETF discussion list. I co-chair 
> the ASRG at the IRTF and we have been looking around for some
> software to help us manage our group's website. Due to the large size of
> our RG and many proposals being submitted to it, we have been looking at
> a document repository primarily, with some additional tools that might
> help as well. Dave Willis of SIP WG has developed some document
> management tools that are used on their site
> (http://www.softarmor.com/sipwg/) which we have been considering using
> as well. However, their tools do not interface with the IETF's Internet
> draft database because they support other formats besides ASCII, PDF and
> PS. The Internet drafts tools provided by the IETF itself have been
> insufficient for our purposes. The DNSEXT group operates an issue 
> tracker at (https://roundup.machshav.com/dnsext/index) which might 
> useful for other groups as well. And I think that we would find many 
> other WGs and RGs having these small hacks...
> 
> My questions to you folks is whether the IETF/IRTF has been considering
> using or developing some form of software for managing working groups
> and research groups aside from what is being used now. Have folks
> considered taking existing open source software and adapting it for the
> IETF? I am sure that there are plenty of coders and volunteers in the
> IETF/IRTF that can cook something up.

Sorry for my belated response.  Unfortunately, most WGs use a homebrew
mechanism for WG tool software.  Currently, I don't know of any effort
to get the IETF to integrate these tools better into the main ietf.org
website.

I have been using roundup myself, and find it to be quite good - though
there are a lot of other features, like better integration into the
mailing list, that I would like.

John