w3c
ambiguous statement for proxy in WG/IG
Section " 5.2.1. Working Group and Interest Group Participation Requirements" contains:
As a courtesy to the group, if the substitute is not well-versed in the group’s discussions, the regular participant should authorize another participant to act as proxy for votes.
It isn't clear to me whether this introduces a 3rd individual, in addition to the regular participant and the substitute.
Also, it isn't obvious to me why this is a courtesy to the group. As courtesy to a group, I'd expect more something along a heads-up or notification of a situation.
I think it's suggesting that if you send a newby substitute, don't give them your proxy, but instead have an old hand proxy your vote. When was the last time we had a formal proxy in a WG? Suggest we leave this alone.
Ah, got it! I'd suggest disambiguating by using "[...]authorize another participant instead,".
This is not necessarily editorial, depending on how people read the original sentence, and applies to a part of the process that isn't new in the 2020 cycle. As agreed with the CG chair, marking it as deferred, to handle it in a subsequent cycle.
