hokey@plus5.COM (Hokey) (03/28/89)
Subj: ISO Standard 22 Mar 89 05:31
From: DIAMOND,JON (MUG - LONDON ENGLAND)
At a meeting on 14th March the British Standards Institution
voted FOR on the leetter ballot to ISO regarding a MUMPS
Standard. They also voted to participate, i.e. probably me, and
would be prepared to consider a fasttrack.
However this subject of whether a national standard should ever
become an ISO standard, i.e. whether ISO should delegate
standards making to a national body is currently a hot ISO issue.
This is mainly, but not exclusively, because of the activities by
X3J3 (Fortan).
I'm therefore not sure whether the fasttrack will be politically
possible.
Incidentally the way the ballot was presented almost mandates
votes in favour as NO votes have to have a TECHNICAL objection,
and there is none currently. This is why they, and probably most
other standards bodies represented on JTC1/SC22 will probably
vote in favour as BSI also did for Forth and Smalltalk although
there was no-one to speak in their favour.
The issue will eventually be whether sufficient countries are
willing to particpate (i.e. at least 5).
Regards
Jon
--
Hokey