Re: SIF-Working-Groups: should we try?

[Doug Loss <dloss@csrlink.net>]

Bruno Vernier wrote:
> 
> This is significant because of the overlap with what we are doing with
> EDUML.  But it is potentially frustrating because even though the specs are
> promised to be open and free, the process of working them out requires being
> mandated by a "K12 Software Vendor".  Do we want to declare ourselves such a
> "vendor" in order to have a "seat" on the various working groups?  There is
> apparently no membership fees like for IMS.
> 
Bruno,

   You'll clearly be our lead for any work with SIF.  How do you feel
about it?  I think it might be worthwhile to be a part of it so long as
we don't come to depend on SIF actually getting anything done (I have
little confidence in the ability of consortia like this being able to
accomplish anything).  We might get some useful perspectives on various
things we're (you're) doing.  But I don't think it would be a good idea
if SIF were somehow to require that EDUML become part of their system
and then never produce a useful DTD.  I guess what I'm saying is that
after reviewing what they've come up with so far I think they could do
well to adopt some of the things you've done.  There are some things in
their specs that could be usefully included in EDUML too.  I'm sure
you're open to that inclusion; it remains to be seen if SIF will take a
"not invented here" stance towards aspects of EDUML, which so far as I
can see has elements useful in six of the nine working groups:
Infrastructure, Student Information, Curriculum, Grade-book, Library,
and Reporting.  This is all academic information--the other three,
Cafeteria, HR/Financials, and Transportation, are all administrative.

   Pete St. Onge, a while back you and I talked a bit about a friend of
yours who was involved in developing and selling school bus scheduling
software.  Could you point this SIF stuff out to her?  It'd be nice to
try to get a broader base of opinion on the SIF, I think.

-- 
Doug Loss                 A life spent making mistakes is not only
Data Network Coordinator  more honorable, but more useful than a
Bloomsburg University     life spent doing nothing.
dloss@bloomu.edu                G. B. Shaw