🚀 go-pugleaf

don provan <donp@novell.com> writes:
|
|   In article <23311C@erik.naggum.no> enag@ifi.uio.no (Erik Naggum) writes:
|   >...it would be a simple matter for one
|   >vendor to edit out the hardest parts to implement, increase an error
|   >margin, or whatever, and to supply the customers with this copy.  This
|   >would be much easier if they were electronically available...
|
|   Oops.  Backwards thinking.  Such a plan of deception is only conceivable
|   in an environment where access to the documents is restricted, such as
|   the existing OSI world.  In a world where OSI documents are distributed
|   electronically at a low cost, a scam like this wouldn't be worth the
|   effort to consider.  It wouldn't fool anyone, but it might easily lead
|   to a fraud conviction.

Consider the fact that vendors already deviate from standards they claim
to conform to and lie to the customers about it.  I'm not saying that
I'm agreeing with this, but I can understand that ISO is concerned.

Amendmends, corrigenda and new editions of international standards take
place at infrequent intervals, and getting the latest edition is also a
major concern for ISO.  With eletronic copies, they don't know, and
can't ascertain control over the available versions.  I have received
updates and amendments to the Blue Book I bought from CCITT at two
occasions, and have received notification of amendments and corrigenda
to ISO 8613 several times.  This is an important service when you have
organized distribution of such documents.

Counter-examples: How do you know that RFC 822 is no longer the final
answer?  How do you know what the final answer in mail is?  Which is the
latest telnet option RFC?

There are benefits from a controlled distribution, just as there are
benefits from free distribution.  Just because some of the benefits you
are used to don't apply to controlled distribution doesn't mean it's all
bad, which is what seems to be implied.

Best regards,
</Erik>
--
Erik Naggum             |  ISO  8879 SGML     |      +47 295 0313
                        |  ISO 10744 HyTime   |
<erik@naggum.no>        |  ISO 10646 UCS      |      Memento, terrigena.
<enag@ifi.uio.no>       |  ISO  9899 C        |      Memento, vita brevis.