Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!sdd.hp.com!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!rpi!uupsi!sunic!ugle.unit.no!nuug!ifi!enag From: enag@ifi.uio.no (Erik Naggum) Newsgroups: comp.protocols.iso Subject: Re: ISO Whining Message-ID: Date: 25 Jan 91 02:01:42 GMT References: <9101230627.1.UUL1.3#5653@malamud.com> <21575.664711596@nma> Sender: enag@ifi.uio.no (Erik Naggum) Organization: Naggum Software, Oslo, Norway Lines: 46 Nntp-Posting-Host: hild.ifi.uio.no In-Reply-To: Stef@ICS.UCI.EDU's message of 24 Jan 91 10:06:36 GMT Originator: enag@hild In article <21575.664711596@nma> Stef@ICS.UCI.EDU (Einar Stefferud) writes: I also must agree with whoever it was that pointed out the an extra $200 to $1000 for Standards Documents is not really significant compared to the cost of hiring two good programmers to implement without the standards in hand! Not smart economics there I fear. I object to this arrogant stance. There are those among the readership of this list and of the ISO standards who wish to be able to follow the state of the art, to be able to know of what people speak when in learned circles, and who would appreciate not being treated as Palestinians because they don't intend to become the white- robed Central Computer Attendants of times past. I recall the famous quote from Commodore Vanderbilt when asked by a plebian what his yacht cost. "If you have to ask, you can't afford it!" I'm sorry to see that OSI has become a luxury, unlike the prospect that many had of it becoming about as ubiquitous as electricity and telephones. OK -- We agree that the time is here to come up with constructive proposals. I know that the ISO/CCITT community has been considering ways to improve the publication accessibility and provide electronic publication, but I am not aware of any of the issues hey are trying to resolve. Do you suppose we could get a factual report on what progress they have been achieving and what issues they are addressing? I don't see a lot of reasons to plow the ground that they have already plowed. I seem to remember having heard that ISO standards are stored and coded using SGML. Contrary to popular belief, SGML documents should normally be easy to read (with markup intact), and I would think that SGML applications would soon emerge if these documents were released in electronic form, thus achieving two goals with one move. Feel free to think that this fails to meet your standard of "con- structive proposal". I'm but a plebian in this yacht-owner's club. -- [Erik Naggum] Snail: Naggum Software / BOX 1570 VIKA / 0118 OSLO / NORWAY Mail: , My opinions. Wail: +47-2-836-863 Another int'l standards dude.