Subject: "Hands across the water/hands across the sky"

From: Spencer Dawkins <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 31 May 2013 09:53:21 -0500

For those of you looking at where I-D and RFC authors are from, I'd like 
to suggest one other thing to look at - the extent that participants are 
co-authoring with folks outside their region.

It's pretty tempting for new participants to submit drafts that they 
like, and maybe reaching out to their office mates as co-authors, but to 
be effective in the IETF, participants have to learn how to collaborate 
with folks from other IETF sponsors (including "other IETF sponsors who 
compete head-to-head with your IETF sponsor"), other countries, and 
other regions. "Collaboration" covers many activities, but I'm curious 
what we might learn from looking at this specific kind of collaboration.

<personal self-reveal> I say this to a lot of people who don't believe 
me, but I have been shy for most of my life, and it's still not easy for 
me to have conversations with total strangers. That's not a cultural 
challenge, and it's not a language challenge, but it is a challenge I've 
faced in the IETF as *I* was learning to collaborate. For anyone who is 
also learning how to do this - for me, it's been worth it. And anyone is 
welcome to join us for drumming at IETF meetings - I bring extra drums, 
and there's no telling who else you'll meet. </personal self-reveal>

Thanks,

Spencer

p.s. I apologize for the obscure reference in the Subject line to Paul & 
Linda McCartney's "Uncle Albert / Admiral Halsey" - it's from about 2:30 
into http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XI6C7L66zq8.

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From: Abdussalam Baryun <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 31 May 2013 21:23:58 +0200

Hi Spencer.

I like your point. I think it is correct that collaboration is needed
between all regions for many I-Ds or related I-Ds to the region
participants interest. Cross-participation co-authoring between
regions may make better results than co-authors from same region.
Comments below,

> co-authoring with folks outside their region.

There are some I-Ds like that which was a result of meetings of an
author team of different regions and same interest. I will add another
interesting point, IMO, each region has different interests, so if you
ask in diff-region meetings of the community interest you mostly get
different responds but not if the attendance are the same persons.
> what we might learn from looking at this specific kind of collaboration.

I agree totaly,

> also learning how to do this - for me, it's been worth it.

I encourage you to continue your efforts for your progress (all have
their special issues), which I think it is what IETF is about to make
all learn for better Internet. I am experiencing a different situation
while I am trying to have discussions with people I don't know in
IETF, I get bad responses, and getting to know good people before I
meet them. I am collaborating (in reviewing ideas not authoring, and a
plan with one in future of authoring I-D) already with some that I
never met but only remotely discussed in IETF.

> And anyone is

I will join, we actually can plan to co-author an I-D while drumming
so we don't waste time, thanks :-)

AB

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From: Carsten Bormann <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 31 May 2013 21:55:13 +0200

> co-authoring with folks outside their region.

Very good point.

Significant advantage comes from any kind of co-authoring with someone who is able to bring another perspective.  By region, by academic/commercial interest, by vendor/operator role, by amount of time you have been around in the IETF, by IETF area focus, etc.  (Fostering diversity is a lot about adding perspectives, and getting that right into the author team will allow it to make early impact.)

Now, if you come from a region sparsely populated with IETFers, that may make co-authoring with people outside your region a particularly good idea.

Grüße, Carsten