FW: Developing software for IETF/IRTF groups

[<john.loughney@nokia.com>]

-----Original Message-----
From: ext Yakov Shafranovich [mailto:research@solidmatrix.com]
Sent: 15 October, 2003 08:38
To: Loughney John (NRC/Helsinki)
Cc: ietf-quality@bogus.com
Subject: Re: Developing software for IETF/IRTF groups


john.loughney@nokia.com wrote:

> 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.
> 

As much as we would have liked to avoid a commercial solutions, we are 
currently evaluating Kavi.com who has agreed to provide us with a free site.

Yakov