[iaufwg] FITS Registry Proposal

[Robert Hanisch]

Bill et al.,

   It is certainly important to find a way to keep track of various FITS
conventions.  The registry concept is good, and the rules, which look
remarkably similar to the process we use in the IVOA to promote standards,
are a bit stiff, but probably ok.

  A slight modification to consider is to let people register whatever they
want, but note the approval or compliance level so that users of the
registry can, at one time, see concepts or proposals as well as agreed upon
conventions.  This is basically how the VO registries are being set up, with
a ValidationLevel metadata tag that describes the quality of the resource
(as determined by, in the VO case, a registry curator).  In the FITS case
such a metadata tag would be determined by the approval process and
implemented by, of course, the registry curator.

  I think the advantage of this is that the process is more open and
visible, and information can be easily compared.

Bob


On 3/14/06 5:26 PM, "William Pence" <pence at milkyway.gsfc.nasa.gov> wrote:

> Dear IAU FITS Working Group Members,
> 
> One of the most important activities I hope we can accomplish soon is to set
> up, and begin to populate, a Registry of FITS Conventions.  Last September I
> distributed a straw-man proposal for how the Registry might work.  This has
> recently been updated and the new version is available for your review and
> comment at
> 
> http://fits.gsfc.nasa.gov/fits_registry.html
> 
> My hope is that we can agree on the final set of rules within the next few
> weeks, and then begin the approval process for a few conventions prior to
> the IAU meeting in Prague in August.
> 
> I'm especially interested in whether you think the list of requirements is
> complete and comprehensive, and whether the approval process is reasonable.
>   One of my concerns is that the rules should be clear and deterministic
> enough so that there is never any ambiguity in how to proceed, and yet not
> so rigid and cumbersome that it will discourage people from making
> submissions to the Registry.
> 
> regards,
> Bill