X-Git-Url: https://pere.pagekite.me/gitweb/homepage.git/blobdiff_plain/95e290ba105b101550b6aeedcce8e4851bac7c68..9c43eb0ce717d7aa74c2b240d0441a0765756db0:/blog/index.rss diff --git a/blog/index.rss b/blog/index.rss index ea93cd93f9..b34ed8c149 100644 --- a/blog/index.rss +++ b/blog/index.rss @@ -6,6 +6,233 @@ http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/ + + The many definitions of a open standard + http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/The_many_definitions_of_a_open_standard.html + http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/The_many_definitions_of_a_open_standard.html + Mon, 27 Dec 2010 14:45:00 +0100 + +<p>One of the reasons I like the Digistan definition of +"<a href="http://www.digistan.org/open-standard:definition">Free and +Open Standard</a>" is that this is a new term, and thus the meaning of +the term has been decided by Digistan. The term "Open Standard" has +become so misunderstood that it is no longer useful very when talking +about standards. One end up discussing which definition is the best +one and with such frame the only one gaining are the proponents of +de-facto standards and proprietary solutions.</p> + +<p>But to give us an idea about the diversity of definitions of open +standards, here are a few that I know about. This list is not +complete, but can be a starting point for those that want to do a +complete survey. More definitions are available on the +<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_standard">wikipedia +page</a>.</p> + +<p>First off is my favourite, the definition from the European +Interoperability Framework version 1.0. Really sad to notice that BSA +and others has succeeded in getting it removed from version 2.0 of the +framework by stacking the committee drafting the new version with +their own people. Anyway, the definition is still available and it +include the key properties needed to make sure everyone can use a +specification on equal terms.</p> + +<blockquote> + +<p>The following are the minimal characteristics that a specification +and its attendant documents must have in order to be considered an +open standard:</p> + +<ul> + +<li>The standard is adopted and will be maintained by a not-for-profit +organisation, and its ongoing development occurs on the basis of an +open decision-making procedure available to all interested parties +(consensus or majority decision etc.).</li> + +<li>The standard has been published and the standard specification +document is available either freely or at a nominal charge. It must be +permissible to all to copy, distribute and use it for no fee or at a +nominal fee.</li> + +<li>The intellectual property - i.e. patents possibly present - of +(parts of) the standard is made irrevocably available on a royalty- +free basis.</li> + +<li>There are no constraints on the re-use of the standard.</li> + +</ul> +</blockquote> + +<p>Another one originates from by friends over at +<a href="http://www.dkuug.dk/">DKUUG</a>, who coined and gathered +support for <a href="http://www.aaben-standard.dk/">this +definition</a> in 2004. It even made it into the Danish parlament as +<a href="http://www.ft.dk/dokumenter/tingdok.aspx?/samling/20051/beslutningsforslag/B103/som_fremsat.htm">their +definition of a open standard</a>. Another from a different part of +the Danish government is available from the wikipedia page.</p> + +<blockquote> + +<p>En åben standard opfylder følgende krav:</p> + +<ol> + +<li>Veldokumenteret med den fuldstændige specifikation offentligt +tilgængelig.</li> + +<li>Frit implementerbar uden økonomiske, politiske eller juridiske +begrænsninger på implementation og anvendelse.</li> + +<li>Standardiseret og vedligeholdt i et åbent forum (en såkaldt +"standardiseringsorganisation") via en åben proces.</li> + +</ol> + +</blockquote> + +<p>Then there is <a href="http://www.fsfe.org/projects/os/def.html">the +definition</a> from Free Software Foundation Europe.</p> + +<blockquote> + +<p>An Open Standard refers to a format or protocol that is</p> + +<ol> + +<li>subject to full public assessment and use without constraints in a +manner equally available to all parties;</li> + +<li>without any components or extensions that have dependencies on +formats or protocols that do not meet the definition of an Open +Standard themselves;</li> + +<li>free from legal or technical clauses that limit its utilisation by +any party or in any business model;</li> + +<li>managed and further developed independently of any single vendor +in a process open to the equal participation of competitors and third +parties;</li> + +<li>available in multiple complete implementations by competing +vendors, or as a complete implementation equally available to all +parties.</li> + +</ol> + +</blockquote> + +<p>A long time ago, SUN Microsystems, now bought by Oracle, created +its +<a href="http://blogs.sun.com/dennisding/resource/Open%20Standard%20Definition.pdf">Open +Standards Checklist</a> with a fairly detailed description.</p> + +<blockquote> +<p>Creation and Management of an Open Standard + +<ul> + +<li>Its development and management process must be collaborative and + democratic: + + <ul> + + <li>Participation must be accessible to all those who wish to + participate and can meet fair and reasonable criteria + imposed by the organization under which it is developed + and managed.</li> + + <li>The processes must be documented and, through a known + method, can be changed through input from all + participants.</li> + + <li>The process must be based on formal and binding commitments for + the disclosure and licensing of intellectual property rights.</li> + + <li>Development and management should strive for consensus, + and an appeals process must be clearly outlined.</li> + + <li>The standard specification must be open to extensive + public review at least once in its life-cycle, with + comments duly discussed and acted upon, if required.</li> + + </ul> + +</li> + +</ul> + +<p>Use and Licensing of an Open Standard</p> +<ul> + +<li>The standard must describe an interface, not an implementation, + and the industry must be capable of creating multiple, competing + implementations to the interface described in the standard without + undue or restrictive constraints. Interfaces include APIs, + protocols, schemas, data formats and their encoding.</li> + +<li> The standard must not contain any proprietary "hooks" that create + a technical or economic barriers</li> + +<li>Faithful implementations of the standard must + interoperate. Interoperability means the ability of a computer + program to communicate and exchange information with other computer + programs and mutually to use the information which has been + exchanged. This includes the ability to use, convert, or exchange + file formats, protocols, schemas, interface information or + conventions, so as to permit the computer program to work with other + computer programs and users in all the ways in which they are + intended to function.</li> + +<li>It must be permissible for anyone to copy, distribute and read the + standard for a nominal fee, or even no fee. If there is a fee, it + must be low enough to not preclude widespread use.</li> + +<li>It must be possible for anyone to obtain free (no royalties or + fees; also known as "royalty free"), worldwide, non-exclusive and + perpetual licenses to all essential patent claims to make, use and + sell products based on the standard. The only exceptions are + terminations per the reciprocity and defensive suspension terms + outlined below. Essential patent claims include pending, unpublished + patents, published patents, and patent applications. The license is + only for the exact scope of the standard in question. + + <ul> + + <li> May be conditioned only on reciprocal licenses to any of + licensees' patent claims essential to practice that standard + (also known as a reciprocity clause)</li> + + <li> May be terminated as to any licensee who sues the licensor + or any other licensee for infringement of patent claims + essential to practice that standard (also known as a + "defensive suspension" clause)</li> + + <li> The same licensing terms are available to every potential + licensor</li> + + </ul> +</li> + +<li>The licensing terms of an open standards must not preclude + implementations of that standard under open source licensing terms + or restricted licensing terms</li> + +</ul> + +</blockquote> + +<p>It is said that one of the nice things about standards is that +there are so many of them. As you can see, the same holds true for +open standard definitions. Most of the definitions have a lot in +common, and it is not really controversial what properties a open +standard should have, but the diversity of definitions have made it +possible for those that want to avoid a level marked field and real +competition to downplay the significance of open standards. I hope we +can turn this tide by focusing on the advantages of Free and Open +Standards.</p> + + + Is Ogg Theora a free and open standard? http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/Is_Ogg_Theora_a_free_and_open_standard_.html @@ -742,33 +969,5 @@ får snart se om det stemmer.</p> - - Student group continue the work on my Reprap 3D printer - http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/Student_group_continue_the_work_on_my_Reprap_3D_printer.html - http://people.skolelinux.org/pere/blog/Student_group_continue_the_work_on_my_Reprap_3D_printer.html - Thu, 9 Dec 2010 19:30:00 +0100 - -<p>A few days ago, I was introduces to some students in the robot -student assosiation <a href="http://www.robotica.no/">Robotica -Osloensis</a> at the University of Oslo where I work, who planned to -get their own 3D printer. They wanted to learn from me based on my -work in the area. After having a short lunch meeting with them, I -offered them to borrow my reprap kit, as I never had time to complete -the build and this seem unlike to change any time soon. I look -forward to see how this goes. This monday their volunteer driver -picked up my kit and drove it to their lab, and tomorrow I am told the -last exam is over so they can start work on getting the 3D printer -operational.</p> - -<p>The robotic group have already build several robots on their own, -and seem capable of getting the reprap operational. I really look -forward to being able to print all the cool 3D designs published on -<a href="http://www.thingiverse.com/">Thingiverse</a>. I even got -some 3D scans I got made during Dagen@IFI when one of the groups at -the computer science department at the university demonstrated their -very cool 3D scanner.</p> - - -