Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!ucbvax!A.ISI.EDU!LYNCH
From: LYNCH@A.ISI.EDU (Dan Lynch)
Newsgroups: comp.protocols.tcp-ip
Subject: Re:  DoD --> CMOT and SNMP
Message-ID: <12526341449.22.LYNCH@A.ISI.EDU>
Date: 15 Sep 89 04:48:41 GMT
References: <8909071738.AA04966@trwind.ind.TRW.COM>
Sender: daemon@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU
Organization: The Internet
Lines: 35

Robert,  I've been away, so sorry for a late reply, but I have also
had a chance to see other replies and must add my two cents worth.

OSI stands for Open Systems Interconnection.  ISO stands for International
Organization for Standardization.  (Yes, I know that the English/American
abbreviation for that should be IOS, but it ain't that way this time...)

OSi describes a model of communication among consenting systems.  It was
described in an ISO document many years ago.  Then ISO committees
began to fill out thier interpretations of how to accomplish the lofty
goals of the OSI model.  All of those "interpretations" have come aout as ISO 
documents.  It is easy to mix the two acronyms up because of their
use of the same alphabet symbols.  I used to find it useful to make
the distinction batween OSI and OSI.  I thought (and still do think) that 
the TCP/IP suite of protocols are quite in line withthe OSI "model".
So is DECNET, so is SNA, etc.  (I mean, hey, an application has just got to
shove the bits out the "right" interface/wire to an equally receptive
application at the target system; how many ways can you describe to do that?
In 1976 it was an accomplishment to even make that description.  By this 
tim ein history it is a freshman problem, right?)

So, today, we should quit splitting haris, and let the meaning of "OSI"
be those protocols that are promulgated by ISO with regard to communications
between consenting computers.  (ISO also sets standards
for cement ingredients, numbers of threads per inch/millimeter for screws,
etc...)

In other words, it is a waste of energy for someone to say they are OSI
complinat unless they use the actual ISO protocols.  We technologists
may be able to sort his all out, but our customers should not have
to sort out our internal debates.  Let us let them see one label.
That label is OSI.

Dan
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