Common Lisp Standard

[Alan Bawden <ALAN@MC.LCS.MIT.EDU>]

I understand that my name has been mentioned in connection with the Common
Lisp standard committee (or what ever it is called).  Before I either agree
to anything, or withdraw my name, I thought perhaps someone could tell me
something about just what I would be getting into.  I grew impatient with
the language-design-by-large-mailing-list-debate process some time ago, and
would not willingly return to it, but conceivably this would be a more
rational forum?  What's the story?

Committee
There is a small technical committee being set up, which is proposed to be:

	rpg
	Moon
	Rees
	Fahlman
	Steele
	Griss
	Bobrow
	Bawden

The idea is to come up with a new document before the end of the year.
This technical committee will then be the sole recommender to an ANSI
committee, called X3J13, which, we presume, will rubber stamp our
document.  The issues before the technical committee will be open to the
CL list people commenting, but the above committee makes the decisions.

I think we can survive your not being on the committee, but several people
(including me) strongly prefer that you would. I believe that things will
be more rational and smooth than the old way, but I could be wrong.

I will send you a copy of the proposed announcement message, which outlines
some of the political stuff, but don't show it around, as it is a draft.

			-rpg-