Standardization in IT — current developments and users'' response

The paper emphasises the importance of standards to users to enable them to communicate change or upgrade hardware and software incrementally and exercise real freedom of choice of supplier.

Whilst the Open Systems Interconnection architecture is a useful development it is argued that it covers only a part of the problem and even there a great deal of further work is needed if the objectives desired by users are to be achieved.

The General Motors MAP and Boeing TOP initiatives indicate the influence which can be exerted by large users but international co-operation among users is essential if the technical commercial and political pressures are to be properly co-ordinated to enable users to achieve the benefits which standardisation could provide.