<RalphS> Incubator Activity
Giorgos: I've many questions after talking to Eric Miller. We want to explore the construction of multimedia ontologies. But we need more members than the current MMTF. Maybe we should connect to the initiative started by the aceMedia project. So how strict are the membership policies
<RalphS> How to Form an XG
Ralph: at least 3 members should sponsor the XG. I think inviting non-members may even be encouraged. We are more likely to approve invited experts for XGs than for WGs
<GiorgosStamou> http://www.w3.org/2005/Incubator/#RSS
Guus: it would be nice if the w3c webpages on XG procedures would reflect that
Ralph: the current language reflects the requirements on the patent policy. So the formal process is indeed the same, but the criteria may be applied more freely. But we still have no approved XG, so this is new territory for us
Giorgos: the success of this XG will depend on the contribution of many partners, so we will need a number of invited experts. If this XG goes through, two new W3C members may register
<scribe> ACTION: Giorgos to I'll ask vassilis to send mail to Ralph for this
Giorgos: What about timing issues?
Ralph: that is up to you, when you would like to start discussion under the XG? Now that SWBPD is extended, you have more time to transition this to an XG
<Guus> is May 1 realistic?
Giorgos: our plan is to finish as much as possible under the WG
<Guus> should it be part of the overall SW activity proposal?
Ralph: I do not know how long the approval process will take. But if you want to start meeting in May, you should submit the proposal not later than middle March. Steve Bratt (CEO) is also responsible for the approval process. He will probable be asking questions about IPR issues not other process stuff
Ralph: the XG will not have staff time allocated, so the incubator activity does not be coordinated with the semantic web activity but we might feel obliged to point to an incubator proposal from the SW activity proposal. If there is someone from the W3C staff want to particpate, the status would be unclear because we promised to the membership XGs would not consume much staff time
Guus: there is always a minimal support needed, like publication of working drafts
Ralph: I do not know, the expectations by Steve are to assume that there is no staff participation - but that may not be realistic
Giorgos: I think there is only one document
Ralph: you can propose more than one in your charter
Raphael: we also might want to publish minutes etc.
Ralph: we try to get some more things automated, but still... It may be something close to the current editor's draft status, with a XG Report at the end of the lifetime of the XG. But a staff contact may still need to help the XG with the publication process. The XG is entitled to use the zakim bridge, IRC, mailing list and all the other stuff
Giorgos: Is there a more information about the form of the charter
Ralph: there is an XG charter template
Jacco: are there examples of charters?
Ralph: I do not think we have officially received any
Giorgos: I've seen a small one for an uncertainty XG
Ralph: How sensitive is this? would you allow other to know about this conversation
<Zakim> Guus, you wanted to ask about publication of reports: support? and to
Guus: you mainly say something about the type of documents and the people that you expect to join
Ralph: the template seems clear: a few notes about scope would be enough
Guus: the proposal should also propose a chair
Giorgos: we would like participants to be involved as soon as possible
Ralph: yes, early involvement is always good
Raphael: is one year duration the default?
Ralph: Yes, and the max
Guus: will the chair be proposed by the proposers of the XG
Ralph: yes, not by the team as in other cases
<scribe> ACTION: Ralph to run the IRC-Log through the RRSAgent script and make the results public
<scribe> ACTION: Guus and Ralph: inform the CG about this
Guus: should I cc: the BP list
<RalphS> I will put the meeting record at http://www.w3.org/2006/01/25-mmxg-minutes.html
Jacco: please do. Thanks, Ralph
<RalphS> Participants: Giorgos, Raphael, Guus, Jacco, Ralph
<RalphS> did I miss anyone?
<Guus> no