Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!decwrl!ucbvax!THUMPER.BELLCORE.COM!nsb From: nsb@THUMPER.BELLCORE.COM (Nathaniel Borenstein) Newsgroups: comp.mail.multi-media Subject: Re: Multi-media mail standards; Forw: Use of ODA in the Internet Message-ID: Date: 16 Aug 90 19:35:32 GMT References: <21001.650832357@nma.com> Sender: daemon@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU Distribution: inet Organization: The Internet Lines: 33 I think that it is evident that eventually some kind of format standard for multimedia mail will have to be adopted. I also think that *none* of the current conceivable contenders are appropriate, and that some basic research on document representation technology still needs to be done. In my opinion, a standard would be premature. Having said that, however, I think it is NOT premature for standards bodies to be looking at the problem. If, for example, an IFIP-sponsored group were to meet, discuss the issues, and issue a statement that listed some of the key issues that needed to be solved for multimedia standards to become a reality, this would very likely hasten the solution of the problems. I'd be very interested in meeting with other interested parties (at the Zurich conference or elsewhere) to see about starting such a group. As far as I'm concerned, anything that will hasten the advent of a GOOD standard representation format for multimedia mail is worth a substantial amount of time and effort. Is there already a plan for a workshop in Zurich on multimedia document format representation? If not, I'd be willing to organize one. (The Usual Disclaimer: The views expressed above are my own, and not those of Bellcore.) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- [An Andrew ToolKit view (a raster image) was included here, but could not be displayed.] [An Andrew ToolKit view (a raster image) was included here, but could not be displayed.] Nathaniel S. Borenstein Member of Technical Staff, Bell Communications Research Office: Bellcore Room MRE 2A-274, 445 South Street, Morristown, NJ 07962-1910 Work phone: (201) 829-4270 Work FAX: (201) 829-7019 Home: 25 Washington Ave., Morristown, NJ 07960, (201) 993-8586