🚀 go-pugleaf

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: <erik@naggum.uu.no>, <enag@ifi.uio.no>
My opinions.	Wail: +47-2-836-863	Another int'l standards dude.