Does anyone know WHEN/WHY the MEL procedure changed from "preferable not to select REV on the affected engine" to "select REV MAX on both engines (including affected side)?
Also mentioned already, the Fadec will command increased idle thrust on affected side -- is this to be ignored by pilot?
downsouth has mentioned preference to leaving engine with inop reverse on idle...
The current MEL calls for selecting idle on both reversers and then both to Max reverse. I can't give you a specific date on when the revision was issued by Airbus but I imagine it was in early 2006. I understand that Airbus, recognizing that not everybody want's to use Full reverse all of the time, will be changing the second step from "max" to "as req'd" (not the actual words they'll use) sometime later this year.
I guess the "as req'd" will take care of your second question to some extent.