On Thu, Feb 10, 2011 at 7:56 PM, Graeme Gill <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:graeme@argyllcms.com">graeme@argyllcms.com</a>></span> wrote:<br><div class="gmail_quote"><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex;">
<div class="im">[And a big problem with ISO is that they work against the adoption of their standards</div>
by charging for them, instead of making them freely available. Charging money is<br>
fine if you assume all the users are commercial companies, an assumption that<br>
is faulty in the software world.]<div class="im"><br></div></blockquote><div><br></div><div>You are missing half the picture, Graeme...</div><div><br></div><div>While it is true that the ISO charges for their standards, there is NO CHARGE to participate in the DEVELOPMENT of that standard. So ANYONE can help define it - and if you help, you get a copy for free (and early access!)</div>
<div><br></div><div>On the other hand, groups such as the ICC and the W3C CHARGE for membership (so that only those that can pay, can play) BUT their results are freely downloadable.</div><div><br></div><div>Personally, I think the ISO model is the better model since I believe that WIDE INPUT from the world's experts (regardless of their ability to pay membership fees) creates better standards for users in the long run. but to each his own...</div>
<div><br></div><div>Leonard</div></div>