[Public Interpretations Database]

I-0374: Nature Of Components

 
TYPE:                 Editorial Observation
NUMBER:               I-0374
STATUS:               Withdrawn
REASON:               This has been incorporated into the editorial observations
                      entry, I-0443, as it falls into the class of a non-
                      substantive change to the CC.

TITLE:                Nature Of Components

SOURCE REFERENCE:     CC v2.1 Part 1 Subclause 2.3
                      CC v2.1 Part 2 Clause 2
                      CC v2.1 Part 3 Subclause 2.1.3
RELATED TO:           <None>

ISSUE:

The term component is used in four different ways in the CC:

  1. In the glossary sense of the smallest selectable set of elements that may be included in a PP, an ST, or a package.

  2. In an extension of the glossary sense that means all the parts included in the component structure", namely, the component identification, objectives, application notes, elements, and dependencies.

  3. In the phrase TOE component (as in TOE component categorisation report).

  4. (rarely) in the normal English sense of a constituent part.

The context in which the word is used generally makes clear which meaning is intended, and there are no technical issues raised by using the word in these four different senses. However, there are a few instances in which some inconsistencies appear that could lead some readers to be confused. For instance, CC v2.1 Part 2 paragraph 66 states:

When building packages, PPs and/or STs, it is not permitted to select only one or more elements from a component. The complete set of elements of a component must be selected for inclusion in a PP, ST or package.

which makes clear that the text in the PP/ST consists of the elements of the component, not the text in the entire component structure. However, paragraph 89 in that same part, which is titled "Component changes highlighting", includes the dependency list in its use of the word component.

PROPOSED RESOLUTION

As part of any future revision of the entire CC, consideration should be given to reducing the confusion that might arise between the use of the word component in the first two different senses given above.

PROPOSED CRITERIA CHANGES

TBD

SUPPORT:

This corrects the problem identified in the issue statement.