Stages let you build consensus at more points. You could imagine RFCs go through stages of consensus:
First a proposal phase, where agreement is found that this is a problem worth solving and the broad strokes of the idea. This would be the similar to the summary and motivation sections of current RFCs.
Then an implementation phase, where a design is sketched out. I think the timing between this stage and the next is one of the more interesting/weak parts of this proposal, but the point is mostly that these things don't have to be strictly done in order, just that you make the points at which consensus to move forward is found in order.
Next, there'd be a design review phase. This would be a specific proposal based on feedback from the implementation, kind of like the Detailed Design section of the current RFC process.
Finally, you'd accept the design, and the RFC would move into a terminal "it's done" stage.
Anyway, just throwing that out there. You all still have a ton of stuff to do, of course, but this is something I really wish I could have actually pushed for back in the day. I think it would make it easier to move on bigger things, and give outsiders a much better idea of how close an RFC is to becoming reality.
Stages let you build consensus at more points. You could imagine RFCs go through stages of consensus:
First a proposal phase, where agreement is found that this is a problem worth solving and the broad strokes of the idea. This would be the similar to the summary and motivation sections of current RFCs.
Then an implementation phase, where a design is sketched out. I think the timing between this stage and the next is one of the more interesting/weak parts of this proposal, but the point is mostly that these things don't have to be strictly done in order, just that you make the points at which consensus to move forward is found in order.
Next, there'd be a design review phase. This would be a specific proposal based on feedback from the implementation, kind of like the Detailed Design section of the current RFC process.
Finally, you'd accept the design, and the RFC would move into a terminal "it's done" stage.
Anyway, just throwing that out there. You all still have a ton of stuff to do, of course, but this is something I really wish I could have actually pushed for back in the day. I think it would make it easier to move on bigger things, and give outsiders a much better idea of how close an RFC is to becoming reality.