[...]Each working group will determine the balance of email and face-to- face sessions that is appropriate for achieving its milestones. Electronic mail permits the widest participation; face-to-face meetings often permit better focus and therefore can be more efficient for reaching a consensus among a core of the working group participants. In determining the balance, the WG must ensure that its process does not serve to exclude contribution by email-only participants. Decisions reached during a face-to-face meeting about topics or issues which have not been discussed on the mailing list, or are significantly different from previously arrived mailing list consensus MUST be reviewed on the mailing list.
In the case where a consensus which has been reached during a face-
to-face meeting is being verified on a mailing list the people who
were in the meeting and expressed agreement must be taken into
account. If there were 100 people in a meeting and only a few people
on the mailing list disagree with the consensus of the meeting then
the consensus should be seen as being verified. Note that enough
time should be given to the verification process for the mailing list
readers to understand and consider any objections that may be raised
on the list. The normal two week last-call period should be
sufficient for this.
Yes, $500 is a lot of money for a 2.5 hour meeting; $650 is even more if you blow the early-registration deadline.
Add to that time off work, air fare and accomodation, and you will see why unless f2f meetings are given a comparatively low significance in this group, the notion of openness becomes rather selective.
-- Mark Nottingham http://www.mnot.net/