Subject: regarding discussion of directions and priorities

From: L J Clarke <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 11 Mar 93 11:01:15 GMT

Dear MPI Colleagues

I am shortly to give a presentation regarding MPI to a potential end
user of some imprtance within the UK.  In preparation for this, I have
spent the last hour of this morning looking back over the discussions on
mpi-comm and various subcommittees. 

The single thing which most struck me was that since March 9 the content
on mpi-comm has been dominated by discussion of directions and
priorities for MPI.  I recorded 20 mail messages in total from 8
individuals.  There were preceeding discussions of this nature on
mpi-pt2pt dating from March 4.  The discussions indicate to me that
there are some rather concerned committee members. 

It would appear, to my mind at least, that different committee members
have different views of the extant directions and priorities of MPI, and
of desired directions and priorities for MPI.  I am sure that I have a
different view from some other members of MPI. 

In order to make satisfactory progress in the process of interface
definition, which is apparently not occuring at the moment, I believe
that there would indeed be advantage in describing and formally agreeing
the directions of MPI and a set of priorities within those directions. 
I applaude efforts to create consensus regarding directions and
priorities.  I also believe that, from the point of view of the
perception of MPI of individuals and organisations not directly involved
in the committee, there is advantage in publicising the agreed
directions of MPI. 

In order to make satisfactory progress in the process of determining
directions and priorities, I believe that there would be advantage in
describing and formally agreeing a framework within which we can agree
on such directions and priorities.  Sadly, I do not observe such a
framework in operation, and I am skeptical whether MPI can succeed
without such a framework. 

I would therefore suggest that the immediate priorities for MPI as as
follows: 

1. Discuss and establish framework within which directions for MPI are
assessed.

2. Discuss and establish directions for MPI within agreed framework.

3. Discuss and establish priorities for MPI within agreed directions.

4. Review proposals in all subcommittees within agreed priorities.

5. Extend and complete proposals as necessary within terms of 3 and 4.

As a suggestion, can we all describe what we mean by "common practice",
a starting point for framework discussion? Some of the 8 mentioned above
have already done this, to some extent, which I also applaud. 

It seems to me that time demands 1,2 and 3 must occur primarily by
email.  I would suggest that these should be formally accepted at the
beginning of the next meeting.  From a practical point of view, I
further suggest that the next meeting should call a meeting of the whole
committee for this purpose, and we should be prepared to hold said
meeting on the Wednesday morning, on order to allow the subcommittees to
make progress with 4 and 5. 

Now my taxi is waiting, and I must go off-line for a week.  I apologise
to you all that I will not be able to follow up this somewhat despondent
message for 6 days. Good luck!

Best Wishes
Lyndon

         /--------------------------------------------------------\
    e||) | Lyndon J Clarke    Edinburgh Parallel Computing Centre | e||) 
    c||c | Tel: 031 650 5021  Email: [email-masked]  | c||c 
         \--------------------------------------------------------/