Path: utzoo!utgpu!watserv1!watmath!att!linac!pacific.mps.ohio-state.edu!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!sdd.hp.com!hplabs!pyramid!csg
From: csg@pyramid.pyramid.com (Carl S. Gutekunst)
Newsgroups: comp.protocols.iso
Subject: Re: ISO Whining
Message-ID: <142960@pyramid.pyramid.com>
Date: 30 Jan 91 18:16:05 GMT
References: <12656644884.14.BILLW@mathom.cisco.com> <24074.664867994@nma>
Organization: Pyramid Technology Corp., Mountain View, CA
Lines: 18

>...the observation remains valid that is is not good economics to hire good
>programmers at current programmer salaries (plus overhead) and then deprive
>them of the documents because they cost $200-$1000!

What everyone seems to be forgetting is that, with ISO, you can spend as much
as $200 FOR ONE DOCUMENT. The complete X.25 set (ISO7776 and ISO8882, with
addendums) is $180. The ISO8882 conformance test is $165. If you are trying to
actually build a library, these add up *very* quickly. 

By comparison, CCITT Blue Book Fascicle VIII.2, which includes everything from
X.1 to X.32, is $62 from the U.N. Bookshop. ISO7776 and ISO8882 are better
documents than X.25, but not *that* much better.

Considering how much Omnicom price gouges on CCITT Blue Books (they want $80
for that same Fascicle), where they have competition, I'm a wee suspicious of
the prices for ISO documents, where they have none. 

<csg>