Internet Info 1997 December/Internet_Info_CD-ROM_Walnut_Creek_December_1997.iso/ietf/nisi/nisi-minutes-92jul.txt

Text File | 1993-02-17 | 7KB | 205 lines

Editor's Note:  Minutes received 7/31

CURRENT_MEETING_REPORT_


Reported by April Marine/SRI

Minutes of the Network Information Services Infrastructure
Working Group (NISI)

The NISI Group met its primary goal, which was to come up with some
concrete contents for the ``nethelp'' document discussed at the last
meeting.

Announcements

There were no comments in the meeting regarding the current Internet
Draft ``Privacy and Accuracy Issues in Network Information Center
Databases.''  As that version had been sent online as well to no
comments, after the meeting we requested that Joyce as Area Director
foster the document along the track to FYI RFC status.

Status of Other Work

We had two documents on our plate, one being the ``nethelp'' project and
the other a list of services document.  After a brief discussion, the
Group agreed that the need for a ``list of services'' document was being
met by the Quick and Dirty document being prepared within the USWG
Group, so we punted that project over there.

Discussion/modification of Nethelp Outline

The draft outline for a document specifying a ``nethelp'' utility was
passed out.  We decided not to break into small groups, and instead the
whole Group discussed the project.

There was some disagreement about whether or not we should discuss how
the nethelp utility should be implemented.  However, it was pointed out
that until we knew what we wanted, no one could implement it anyway.
So, we agreed eventually to worry less about implementation than about
specifying the function and content of Nethelp.  Those in the business
of implementing things seemed to feel it would be pretty easy to do if
they just knew what we wanted.

We came to the following goal agreements:


   o We wanted something Very Simple that any site could implement.

   o Nethelp should give info about the Internet, not operating system
     help or help regarding other programs, etc.  It would let people
     know that they were on the Internet and tell them where to get more
     information.


                                   1





   o We would start with a basic system, then add bells and whistles
     after the initial concept was specified.


This set of agreements eliminated, for the moment, implementing an
Internet-wide distributed help system or a central network server.

We had another discussion regarding distributing information down the
pyramid from a mid-level network information center to the end-user on
some connected network.  It was observed that a nethelp utility would
circumvent the current chain from NIC to site contact to whomever to
end-user.  True enough.  But sometimes a local contact acts as a
bottleneck for information and does not pass things along.  The
``nethelp'' idea is designed to be easy to implement locally (so as not
to be a strain on an overworked LAN administrator), and to directly
inform users that they are on a network and that there is more
information available about that network's resources.  This will allow
the end-user to seek information himself from a NIC or to prod his local
contact to pass along information he may not have known his users were
interested in.

So, after all this, we actually did decide what we wanted a first
``nethelp'' to do.  We wanted a user to be able to type ``nethelp'' and
see one screen of information.  That screen would say something like:



---------------------
  NETHELP answers questions about ``the network''.

  You are on X-Net.  X-Net is part of the worldwide Internet,
  thus providing you with access to a myriad of resources.

  Your local contact for help is:

  For system help:                  For network information:

   Name:                              Name:
   Phone Number:                      Phone Number:
   E-mail:                            E-mail:

---------------------



The template would be designed to allow local sites to easily fill in
information pertinent to that site.  For example, the ``X-net'' slot
could consist of a local network name, the host name, a host address, a
network address, or any subset of that information.  We would prefer
that users see a fully qualified domain name, or at least the address of
their network, so that they can eventually orient themselves in relation
to the rest of the Internet.

We discussed adding a line that says, ``For more network help, type

                                   2





nethelp X,'' but I'm not sure we want to do that until the next phase.

What Next

Our Action Items from the meeting were:


   o Develop the nethelp template/screen on the mailing list.

   o Write the document.  Poll the mailing list regarding whether it
     should have a section discussing implementation strategies (and to
     get a volunteer to write it :-).

   o Review the goals and milestones and revise if necessary.

   o Start discussing the next phase of nethelp and what that more
     extensive utility will feature.


We agreed that in the interest of time and of getting something DONE, we
would start with the simple nethelp recommendations above.  But we are
generally interested in expanding the information about the Internet
that is readily available to a user, so one of the next things we want
to do is talk about what information a more extensive help system would
contain and how it would be deployed.  So, that is a topic for our next
Agenda.

Our other goal, obviously is to write up the recommendations for the
first stage of nethelp and get that draft out for comments.  (Feel free
to comment on the plan as outlined in these Minutes.)

Attendees

Luc Boulianne            [e-mail]
Jodi-Ann Chu             [e-mail]
James Conklin            [e-mail]
John Curran              [e-mail]
Peter Deutsch            [e-mail]
Roger Fajman             [e-mail]
Stefan Fassbender        [e-mail]
Jill Foster              [e-mail]
Maria Gallagher          [e-mail]
Joan Gargano             [e-mail]
Jack Hahn                [e-mail]
Martyne Hallgren         [e-mail]
Ellen Hoffman            [e-mail]
J. Paul Holbrook         [e-mail]
Takashi Ikemoto          [e-mail]
Lenore Jackson           [e-mail]
Thomas Lenggenhager      [e-mail]
Hock-Koon Lim            [e-mail]
Gary Malkin              [e-mail]

                                   3





April Marine             [e-mail]
Charlotte Mooers         [e-mail]
Hank Nussbacher          [e-mail]
Bob Page                 [e-mail]
Mark Prior               [e-mail]
Sonya Reimer             [e-mail]
Joyce K. Reynolds        [e-mail]
Bradley Rhoades          [e-mail]
Srinivas Sataluri        [e-mail]
Richard Schmalgemeier    [e-mail]
Jennifer Sellers         [e-mail]
Michael Slocombe         [e-mail]
Patricia Smith           [e-mail]
Karen Sollins            [e-mail]
Simon Spero              [e-mail]
Marten Terpstra          [e-mail]
Chris Weider             [e-mail]
Scott Williamson         [e-mail]
Yung-Chao Yu             [e-mail]



                                   4