Policy-Discussion

[Jac Kersing <j.kersing AT the-box.com>]

On Tue, 20 Feb 2007, Ian G wrote:

> OK.  Well, we could hack the Arbitration system by simply
> declaring that the Senior Assurer acts as Arbitrator for all
> disputes filed during the event.

In my book arbitrators need the time and information (at least active 
policies/rules, guidelines and case information) to be able to judge the 
dispute. Is the average event the venue for a well considered arbitration? 
I hardly think so.

> Now, that is all in "formal" lingo.  In actual practice, the
> process could flow much more nicely.  It could all happen
> within the space of a minute:

Given an arbiter with up to date knowledge of every line of the clearly 
worded and unambiguesly stated policy this might be feasable...

> Howzat?

Optimistic?

> I think in the model that CAcert has, anyone can file a
> dispute.  Perhaps it is the same thing:  put a HOLD on an
> assurance.

And what happens if I were to assure someone increasing their number of 
points over 50, that person requests and gets a cert. Now someone files a 
dispute concerning that assurance. Is the cert valid during the 
arbitration process? Or will it be revoked whatever the result of the 
arbitration will be and does (s)he need to get a new one afterwards?

> Then, only an Arbitrator can rule;  or as you would have it,
> only the Senior Assurer on the ground can allow it forward.

For me an arbitrator needs more training/knowledge than a senior assurer.

Something else to consider:
If the senior assurer decides an assurance needs to be held for whatever 
reason, who would stop an assurer from logging on to the CAcert site and 
process the assurance anyway? Will the assurer be unable to process (any) 
assurances while one needs to be held according to the senior assurer?


I think an senior assurer should be advising the others on how to proceed, 
nothing else. If there are serious problems concerning an assurance an 
dispute is the correct way to handle it, not some ad-hoc 'trail' at an 
event where people are likely to be far to busy to think clearly.

Best regards,

Jac

---
 Jac Kersing            Technical Consultant   The-Box Development
 
j.kersing AT the-box.com
         CISSP           http://www.the-box.com