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From: phil@amdcad.UUCP (Phil Ngai)
Newsgroups: net.lan
Subject: what does ISO stand for?
Message-ID: <13196@amdcad.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 29-Sep-86 20:34:02 EDT
Article-I.D.: amdcad.13196
Posted: Mon Sep 29 20:34:02 1986
Date-Received: Tue, 30-Sep-86 21:26:50 EDT
Organization: AMDCAD, Sunnyvale, CA
Lines: 27

A lot of people go around saying that ISO stands for International
Standards Organization. Even Tannenbaum in _Computer Networks_.

Well, it's not true. As sources, I cite the 802.3 standard's foreword
and also John McNamara's _Local Area Networks_. They both define ISO
as the International Organization for Standardization. No, it's not an
acronym. An international body such as ISO can not afford to appear to
favor any one language, even in the tiniest way. So they carefully
chose ISO and names in different languages which did not have ISO as
an acronym.

Surely this is a nit, you say. Yes, but I like to collect facts like
this. Then when I come upon a new source of information, I have a
variety of indices with which to assign a credibility rating. Whether
they get the little things right is one factor in their rating. (not a
big factor, but a factor nevertheless. You can't be a good engineer if
you don't take care of the details.)

Oh dear, is this another plug for John McNamara's books? Well, there
are plenty more reasons than the definition of ISO to regard _Local
Area Networks_ as a useful source. Check it out.
-- 
 In Texas they put up road signs telling drivers to obey the road signs.

 Phil Ngai +1 408 749 5720
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