DOM Bindings Submission Process Document

Introduction

Note of the editor: This document is a modified version of the W3C Process Document adapted for the DOM Bindings Submission Process.

The DOM Bindings Submission process allows interested parties to propose DOM Bindings to the W3C. The formal process affords the submitters a record of their contribution and gives them a mechanism for disclosing the details of the transaction with the Team (including IPR claims). The Submission process also allows the W3C to review proposed bindings and accurately treat the Submission requests.

The W3C DOM web site http://www.w3.org/DOM/Bindings will serve as a repository for all DOM bindings.

Note: To avoid confusion about the DOM Bindings Submission process, please note that:

• Submitters do not submit DOM Bindings to W3C, they submit documents that are published as DOM Bindings upon acknowledgment. Acknowledgment may also result in publication of W3C comments on the submitted bindings.
• The DOM bindings are not part of the W3C DOM Recommendations. Documents in a DOM Bindings Submission request are developed outside of W3C. The DOM Bindings Submission process is not a means by which submitters ask for "ratification" of these documents as W3C Recommendations or any other type of endorsement from W3C and Membership.
• There is no requirement or guarantee that bindings that is part of an acknowledged Submission request will receive further consideration by W3C (e.g., by the W3C DOM Working Group).

A Submission request must satisfy the requirements established by the W3C. The Submission process involves the following steps:

1. A Submitter (possible on behalf of several cooperating Submitters) sends a DOM Bindings Submission request to the DOM public mailing list (refer to "How to send a Submission request""). The term "Submitter" is used below to refer to all of the authors/entities involved in a DOM Bindings Submission request.
2. The W3C Team reviews the request and validate or reject it.
3. If rejected by the W3C Team, the Submitter may appeal to the W3C DOM Working Group, who, may uphold or reverse the decision.
4. If validated, the W3C Team will link the submitted documents from the DOM Bindings repository for a four weeks review period. At the end of the review period, the W3C DOM Working Group will acknowledge or reject the proposal. If rejected, the submitted DOM Bindings are unlink from the DOM Bindings repository.
5. If rejected, due to an strong objection on the DOM public mailing list for example, the Submitter may resubmit the bindings, with changes. A submission can be resubmitted not less than four weeks after the end of the review period.
6. If acknowledged, the bindings are inserted as "DOM Bindings" in the DOM repository.

Publication of a new DOM Bindings by W3C does not imply endorsement by W3C, including the W3C Team or Membership. Being inserted in the DOM Bindings repository does not imply that any action will be taken by W3C. It merely records publicly that the DOM Bindings Submission request has been made by the Submitter and didn't receive any objections. Bindings that are part of an Submission request may not be referred to as "DOM Bindings".

The list of current DOM Bindings Submission Requests can be found at the W3C DOM Web site.

Submitter Rights and Obligations

When several Submitters assemble a Submission request, the Submission request must only be sent by one of the submitting Members. The other Submitters must be copied.

At any time prior to acknowledgment, any Submitter may withdraw support for a Submission request (described in "How to send a Submission request""). A Submission request is "withdrawn" when no submitters support it.

Prior to acknowledgment, the Submitter must not, under any circumstances, refer to a document as "submitted as a DOM Bindings" or "under consideration for the DOM Bindings repository" or any similar phrase in communication. The Submitter must not imply in public communication that W3C is working (with the Submitter) on the material in the DOM Bindings Submission request. The Submitter may publish the documents in the DOM Bindings Submission request prior to acknowledgment (without reference to the DOM Bindings Submission request).

After acknowledgment, the Submitter must not, under any circumstances, imply W3C investment in the acknowledged material until, and unless, the material has been adopted as part of the W3C DOM Activity.

Team Rights and Obligations

The W3C Team must send a validation notice to the Submitter as soon as the W3C Team has reviewed any Submission request and judged it complete and correct. The link on the DOM Bindings repository must also appear at the same time.

If the W3C DOM Working Group is already developing bindings in the language of a Submission request, the submission will be rejected and the W3C Team should coordinate its evaluation with the W3C DOM Working Group.

Acknowledgment of a DOM Bindings Submission Request

The W3C Team acknowledges a Submission request by sending an announcement in the DOM public mailing list (www-dom@w3.org) and in the XML-DEV mailing list.

Once a DOM Bindings Submission request has been acknowledged, the W3C Team must:

• Publish any documents in the Submission request as in the DOM repository. These documents must conform to the publication rules established by the Team. The status sections of these documents must explain that these bindings are the result of an acknowledged DOM Bindings Submission request, that publication does not imply endorsement by W3C, and that publication does not imply that any further action will be taken by W3C.

Rejection of a Submission Request

The W3C Team may reject a Submission request for a variety of reasons, including the following:

• The ideas expressed in the request are poor, may harm the W3C DOM API (such as introducing new functionalities), or run counter to the W3C's mission.
• The bindings covered in the request lie outside the scope of W3C's DOM Activity.
• The IPR statement made by the Submitting organizations is too restrictive (see W3C DOM Copyright notice).