> > Historically the work of the IETF has been conducted over mailing lists. > > This practice ensures the widest possible involvement in the working > > group process. This practice is not as efficient in terms of producing > > specifications as extended face-to-face meetings but is much more > > inclusive. > >In attending meetings for a group that does all its work in extended >face-to-face discussions, I discovered another benefit of the mailing-list >orientation of the IETF: deliberation. > >When a reliance on face-to-face meetings is coupled with any sort of timely >deadline, the group is forced to make potentially precipitous decisions. > >When discussion and decision-making can extend over the longer >period of email >discussion, the decision-making has much more opportunity to consider >implications and recover from problematic choices.
In summary, email discussion has less tendency toward "group think" than face-to-face gatherings. _______________________________________________ Ietf mailing list Ietf@ietf.org https://www.ietf.org/mailman/listinfo/ietf
