Summary of Changes

1. Lifecycle Stages

   • Revised the descriptions of Draft, Review, Candidate, and Final to provide clearer entry and exit criteria.
   • Added guidance on Rejected and Deferred states to distinguish abandoned or postponed proposals.

2. Reference Implementation Requirement

   • Made it a requirement for EVES to include or reference a working proof of concept before moving from Review to Candidate.
   • Clarified that open source is recommended but not strictly mandatory if sufficient documentation is provided.

3. Roles and Governance

   • Expanded definitions for Authors, Editors, Approvers, and the wider community.
   • Outlined quorum requirements for final approval.
   • Added an explicit Conflict Resolution process for stalled or disputed proposals.

4. EVES Numbering & Types

   • Reiterated that EVES must follow a sequential numbering system (EVES-001, EVES-002, etc.).
   • Retained the standard classification: Standards, Informational, and Process.

5. Format & Backwards Compatibility

   • Ensured that new EVES must conform to the YAML header structure, style guide, and standard headings (Abstract, Motivation, Specification, etc.).
   • Stated that changes to a Final EVES require a new PR and editorial determination whether changes are major or minor.

6. Additional Minor Improvements

   • Clarified references to EVES-004 for editor responsibilities.
   • Linked to external governance rules (OpenMSL) and style guides where relevant.
   • Maintained RFC2119 compliance for normative language.

Reasoning / Benefits

• These improvements clarify the entire EVES lifecycle for new and existing contributors, ensuring consistent, high-quality proposals and streamlined reviews.
• The updated reference implementation requirement strengthens confidence in proposals, giving the community tangible proof of feasibility.
• The explicit mention of conflict resolution, numbering, and EVES types makes the process more transparent and easier to follow for all stakeholders.

Please review and merge if there are no outstanding concerns. After merging, we encourage authors of existing Draft EVES to align their documents with these updated guidelines for improved clarity and consistency.