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From: lstowell@pyrnova.pyramid.com (Lon Stowell)
Newsgroups: comp.protocols.iso
Subject: Re: High Cost of OSIng
Message-ID: <141212@pyramid.pyramid.com>
Date: 15 Jan 91 23:35:27 GMT
Sender: daemon@pyramid.pyramid.com
Reply-To: lstowell@pyrnova.pyramid.com (Lon Stowell)
Organization: Pyramid Technology Corp., Mountain View, CA
Lines: 33

AMEN.  I suspect that the high cost of standards is seriously
impacting roll-out.  Smaller (read leading edge) high tech
companies are often unable to afford adequate documentation,
educational institutions ditto...so you don't have the
infrastructure of graduates and hackers familiar with the
standards.   

Larger companies buy them, but even there the support personnel,
etc. cannot afford their own copies.

Why does this happen?  I have been told that the standards, in
the US, are "owned" by ANSII...and that THEY set the prices.
Being aware of the VME hassle where Motorola cannot even give
away free copies of the spec anymore w/o paying a copyright, I
can believe it.

How to resolve it?  Attack your congress-critters.  Ask them if
they are willing to GIVE away the US high-tech leadership in the
race to OSI.  Ask about whether they are interested in
perpetuating large lethargic companies or encouraging the
quick-reacting smaller high tech ones IMHO this country so
desperately needs.

NOW off the soap box.

Need HELP
___________
I had an advert that claimed to have all of the 1988 OSI, ANSII,
CCITT, and a couple other data comm standards available for only
$750.00    Unfortunately I lost the darn advert.  Does anyone
know who this was?   (The '84 stds were $400...but admittedly
much less paper...and $750 is MUCH less than most previous
prices....about 1 full zero worth..)