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From: atkins@nbires.UUCP.UUCP
Newsgroups: mod.protocols.tcp-ip
Subject: Ways to input your X.400/MOTIS concerns
Message-ID: <8607150327.AA07564@opus>
Date: Mon, 14-Jul-86 23:27:31 EDT
Article-I.D.: opus.8607150327.AA07564
Posted: Mon Jul 14 23:27:31 1986
Date-Received: Wed, 16-Jul-86 03:39:46 EDT
References: <8607111945.AA14822@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU>
Sender: daemon@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU
Reply-To: nbires!atkins@ucbvax (Brian Atkins)
Organization: NBI Inc, Boulder CO
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Approved: tcp-ip@sri-nic.arpa

The Corporation for Open Systems (COS) is an excellent conduit for input to the 
international standards bodies, but it is rather expensive.  There is the 
membership fee, plus the additional cost of participation.  (It was said by 
a COS member that COS is not looking for many members of little commitment, 
but a lesser number of members of great commitment.)

There is another, perhaps less direct, input into the ISO/CCITT bodies.
NBS has an OSI Workshop which is producing a document entitled "Implementation
Agreements Among Implementors of OSI Protocols", which provides a somewhat 
more precise interpretation of the various OSI standards, namely FTAM and 
X.400 (in addition to the lower layers).

Production of significant portions of this document fall into the hands
of SIGs (Special Interest Groups).  Participation in these SIGs is "limited"
to Implementors, Vendors, and Users of OSI protocols.  As you can see, anyone
can take part in this process.  Many active SIG members are also members 
of CCITT and ISO, and can thus provide SIG input back into the
standards process.

NBS out of Gaithersburg, MD can provide information on these workshops and
SIG participation.  Since these SIGs are populated by people doing the work,
many of the real problems are brought out into the open.  I can speak from
experience, there is a high degree of commitment among the participants (in 
the X.400 SIG at least).

So if you want "be part of the solution" rather than complain about the past,
here is an opportunity.

Brian Atkins   ...{attunix, hao, allegra, ucbvax}!nbires!atkins
NBI Inc., P.O. Box 9001, Boulder CO 80301	(303) 444-5710