Merge pull request #187 from ianbjacobs/gh-pages

First draft of proposal

proposals/supported-networks-list.md

@@ -1 +1,46 @@
+# Payment Method Identifiers
+
+Proposed by @ibjacobs
+Discussion at https://github.com/w3c/webpayments/labels/Proposal%3A%20PMIs
+
+## Intro
+
+[Basic Card Payment](https://w3c.github.io/webpayments-methods-card/)
+defines supportedNetworks as a sequence of identifiers for card
+networks accepted by the merchant. User agent support for identifiers
+will likely change over time, and perhaps more rapidly than the custom
+for W3C to update its Recommnedations. This is a proposal
+to publish the list separate from the specification.
+
+## Proposal
+
+* The Basic Card Payment specification will link to a list of network identifier published on w3.org, separate from the specification. These identifiers will be short strings.
+* Changes to the list must be approved through a decision of the Web Payments Working Group. 
+* If the Web Payments Working Group closes, W3C management will take over responsibility for the network identifier list (including delegation of change authority to another W3C group). NOTE: W3C management has not yet reviewed or approved this proposal; it will need to do so because of the maintenance expectation.
+
+## Notes on the Proposal
+
+* To avoid confusion, we will not create two lists: one initial list in the specification and one "evolving" list by reference.
+* Each entry in the list will include provenance information (date of approval, link to group decision)
+* Patent policy implications: because list will be published outside the specificaiton and subject to a different update process than the Recommendation Track, it will presumably not be subject to W3C Patent Policy obligations.
+
+## Initial List of Identifiers
+
+In alphabetic order:
+
+* amex
+* diners
+* discover
+* jcb
+* maestro
+* mastercard
+* unionpay
+* visa
+
+## Open questions
+
+* Mechanics of publishing. Because changes should only happen as a result of
+a WG decision, I think that write access should be limited to Chairs and Team contacts, at least initially.
+
+