Re: Appeal of the OASIS decision on SCA-J package names

On behalf of all the appellants, we thank you and the board for a timely resolution and a very satisfactory result.

Dave Booz

STSM, BPM and SCA Architecture

Co-Chair OASIS SCA-Policy TC and SCA-J TC

"Distributed objects first, then world hunger"

Poughkeepsie, NY (845)-435-6093  or  8-295-6093

e-mail:

Eduardo Gutentag ---01/13/2009 07:33:43 PM---The domain oasisopen.org is now owned by OASIS (as you can verify by going to http://oasisopen.org).

From:

Eduardo Gutentag <>

To:

Simon Nash <>, Michael Beisiegel/Somers/IBM@IBMUS, David Booz/Poughkeepsie/IBM@IBMUS, , , , , , , Mike Edwards <>

Cc:

, , 

Date:

01/13/2009 07:33 PM

Subject:

Re: Appeal of the OASIS decision on SCA-J package names

The domain oasisopen.org is now owned by OASIS (as you can verify

by going to http://oasisopen.org).

This matter is therefore settled and the appeal closed, since the

TC can now use org.oasisopen with no qualms whatsoever as the prefix

for their Java package names.

On 12/31/2008 05:15 PM, Eduardo Gutentag wrote:

> As regards the appeal filed on May 5, 2008, subsequently suspended

> and then resumed on December 12, 2008 by the appellants listed in

> the To: line of this message (to whom I've added Mike Edwards, the

> only one who confirmed that he wanted to be added to the original

> list of appellants):

> 

> The appellants write 

> (http://lists.oasis-open.org/archives/sca-j/200812/msg00066.html)

> 

> "Using a package prefix without owning the corresponding domain does

> not follow Java conventions and industry best practice.  Section 7.7

> of the Java Language Specification says: "You form a unique package

> name by first having (or belonging to an organization that has) an

> Internet domain name, such as sun.com. You then reverse this name,

> component by component, to obtain, in this example, com.sun, and use

> this as a prefix for your package names, using a convention developed

> within your organization to further administer package names."

> 

> TC Administration, on the other hand, quotes another sentence

> *in the same* Java Language Specification, second edition, section 7.7

> (http://java.sun.com/docs/books/jls/third_edition/html/packages.html#7.7):

> "If the domain name contains a hyphen, or any other special character

> not allowed in an identifier (§3.8), convert it into an underscore."

> 

> Since both quotes come from the same source, and both parties agree

> as to the correctness of at least one of them, we should assume

> that both are correct and as normative as any given specification

> can be in this case.

> 

> So, taking the first quote, we note that we do not own org.osoa,

> so it should not be considered as a solution at all. We do have,

> however, an Internet domain name, oasis-open.org, which reversed

> (as specified in the first quote) renders "org.oasis-open".

> This, according to the first quote, should be the prefix used in

> the package.

> 

> However, since section 3.8 excludes the use of hyphen in package

> names, the second quote provides the correct way of representing it,

> that is, "org.oasis_open"

> 

> Thus, after both quotes are applied, org.osoa is inappropriate,

> and the prefix to be used is therefore org.oasis_open

> 

> *However* -- we do note the strong dislike expressed by the

> appellants to the use of underbars in package names (either because

> they may be hard to type or because some software may be buggy)

> even though it's part of the same recommendation they otherwise

> quote with approval.

> 

> We therefore direct OASIS Staff to investigate the possibility of

> acquiring the domain name oasisopen.org, and to report to us by

> January 31, 2009, as to the possibility and cost. We are aware that

> such an investigation has already started, and we hope this comes to

> fruition. But if it becomes apparent that acquiring such domain name

> (or an appropriate alternative that can be used for purposes other

> than those of the SCA-J TC) is either impossible or too expensive,

> the TC will be directed at that time to use the package name prefix

> org.oasis_open.

> 

> The appellants should remember that the above determination can be

> appealed too, as specified in 

> http://www.oasis-open.org/committees/process.php#appeals

> 

> 

-- 

Eduardo Gutentag



+1 510-550-4616