[ih] "The Great Debate"

[Dave Crocker]

On 4/26/2026 5:26 PM, Carl Malamud via Internet-history wrote:
> In regards to Marshall and the OSI question, he gave a memorable speech at
> an IETF plenary about how he had implemented OSI and he considered it to be
> road kill in motion. He got a standing ovation from Jon Postel and others.


Assuming we are thinking of the same event, this was Marshall's first 
time at an IETF and his presence and his presentation were carefully 
arranged.

Marshall was working for me, at the time, and had just published his 
wonderful tome, The Open Book, about OSI.

It included some discussion of standards processes, including reference 
to the IETF.  I'm not finding the relevant text that he made about 
standards processes but it included a summary assessment that these 
meetings were marked by "many fine lunches and dinners".

He later reported that the OSI folk who read the book pretty much nodded 
in agreement with his characterization of the standards work.

However many fine IETF folk took vigorous exception.  So there was some 
community anger with Marshall.

His appearance at the Hawaii IETF was intended to mend the fence.  His 
presentation was stellar in form and content and was thoroughly successful.

A bit of icing happened when I walked by a small group discussing what 
turned out to be final plans for the meeting t-shirt.  I injected the 
suggestion that at the bottom of the shirt's graphic, they should add 
"Many fine lunches and dinner" and they did.  And at the Plenary, they 
made a formal presentation of a shirt to Marshall.

d/

-- 
Dave Crocker

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