Librarian Questions

Michael Steer and IBIS Committee:

I also like your recent revised Librarian proposal of July 23, 1994. Here
are my thoughts on your questions:

QUESTION 1
==========

What shall we do in the rare event that golden parser bugs
are detected while validating models. It is likely that many of these will
be due to valid interpretations of the spec that were not previously considered.I think that we need a quick turn-around for addressing such problems.

Possible procedures are:

1. The librarian throws his/her hands up in the air and reports the problem
   to the IBIS specification watchdogs who update the spec or
   golden parser. (Yeah, I know we like to say that the golden parser is the
   spec but the spec does have to be written down somewhere and there could
   be a discrepancy between the two.)

2. The librarian isolates the problem and produces a minimum IBIS
   file that demonstrates the problem. The IBIS file is doctored so as to
   preserve confidentiality. The file is then sent to the spec watchdogs.

My response is that ibis files containing parser errors should be returned
to the originator for resolution. The librarian and/or the originator can
raise the issue with the IBIS committee. The BIRD process can be used to
clarify the issue, or some similar process can be used to provisionally
accept the parser error or modify the parser. The originator should control
how the files get "doctored" if they need to be examined outside of his/her
organization. The librarian could get involved either by working with the
originator to raise the issue, or if possible, by generating a totally
independent illustrative test case.

QUESTION 2
==========

I think that there needs to be an IBIS disclaimer regarding the models since
we are providing them. Vendors put in their own disclaimer but
we need something as well regarding the library. Any thoughts?

You raise a very good point. Would a general "README" in each directory
suffice, or should each file contain such a disclaimer? If the second
choice is the case, then the wording should be provided. I do not think
the librarian should be responsible for any textual changes or additions to
supplied IBIS files, but this may be an agreed upon check and exception
case to control the disclaimer and expedite posting.

Bob Ross,
Interconnectix, Inc.
Received on Wed Jul 27 10:40:48 1994