[comp.std.misc] Rock Ridge CD-ROM Proposed Specifications

rjn@hpfcso.FC.HP.COM (Bob Niland) (03/22/91)

re: ROCK RIDGE GROUP SUBMITS PRELIMINARY CD-ROM SPECS TO NIST

Sixteen Companies Offer Their Support

SAN JOSE, Calif.  --March 18, 1991-- Sixteen companies known as the Rock
Ridge Group have submitted two new preliminary CD-ROM specifications --
System Use Sharing Protocol (SUSP) and the Rock Ridge Interchange Protocol
Specification (RRIP) -- to the National Institute of Standards and
Technology (NIST).  These specifications offer industry-standard solutions
for the distribution of data and software on CD-ROM media.  They extend and
are completely compliant with the current international standard format for
CD-ROM, the ISO 9660-1988.  CD-ROM media can significantly reduce cost and
improve software installation and ease of use.

Members of the Rock Ridge Group include Anvil Software Limited, Digital
Equipment Corporation, Fulcrum Technologies Inc., Hewlett-Packard Company,
Highland Software, Interactive Systems Corporation, Lehman Brothers, Mentor
Graphics Corporation, Meridian Data, Next Technology Corporation (UK),
Philips Kommunikations Industrie, The Santa Cruz Operation, Silicon Graphics
Computer Systems, Solbourne Computer, Sun Microsystems and Young Minds.

The goals of the Rock Ridge Group and its submission to NIST will be
discussed by Andy Young, founder and president of Young Minds, on Wednesday,
March 20, at the Sixth International Conference and Exposition on Multimedia
and CD-ROM being held here.

The Rock Ridge CD-ROM specifications have been submitted to NIST for its
review and consideration in developing a Federal Information Processing
Standard (FIPS) for CD-ROM technology.  NIST develops FIPS for use by United
States federal agencies in the acquisition and management of computer and
telecommunication systems.

"We are interested in developing standards-based solutions within an
architectural framework that will give federal users faster access to data
and software within open systems environments," said Allen Hankinson, chief
of NIST's Systems and Software Technology Division.  "The Rock Ridge
specifications combined with the current ISO 9660 standard will deliver this
to the user."

Rock Ridge Specifications

The SUSP extension to the ISO 9660 standard allows multiple file system
extensions to coexist on one CD-ROM disc.  The existing ISO standard allows
for this, but does not define a mechanism.

The RRIP specification, which is built on top of the SUSP extension, lets
POSIX files and directories be recorded on CD-ROM without requiring
modifications to files, such as shortening file and directory names.  POSIX
is the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers Portable Operating
System Interface IEEE Std.  1003.1-1990.  This recorded information can then
be read by any computer system on which the new specifications or the
current standard are implemented.  RRIP makes it very easy for UNIX(R)
applications to be executed directly from CD-ROM without copying them on the
hard disk and using disk space.  A standard CD-ROM holds more than 640
megabytes of data.


User Benefits

The Rock Ridge specifications primarily benefit software developers,
software distributors and end users.  Developers can now produce single
CD-ROM discs that contain multiple applications or a single application that
runs on systems from different vendors.  In addition, developers can
transfer their software to CD-ROM more easily because the Rock Ridge
specifications eliminate the need to shorten file names.

With the Rock Ridge specifications, software distributors can now stock a
single version of a product instead of multiple versions.  End users save
time because they now have direct access to data on their discs, eliminating
the need to copy data to a hard disk first.  In addition, users save money
because they don't need to buy a hard disk on which to copy data.

Rock Ridge Information

Rock Ridge is a group of companies that began meeting in July 1990 to
resolve difficulties in distributing software on CD-ROM.  For companies
interested in reviewing the specifications, please see the information
below the list of contacts.

The Rock Ridge Group will hold its next meeting on April 16 in Mountain
View, Calif.  Please contact Larry Kluger, Sun Microsystems, at (415)
336-4708 for meeting time and location.

UNIX is a registered trademark of UNIX Systems Laboratories, Inc.

PR contact
Carol Sacks (415) 336-0521

Hewlett-Packard Company
Diane Dennis (303) 229-2255


 COMPANY CONTACTS:

Anvil Software Ltd, Frank Humphrey-Gaskin
telephone: 011 44 71 729 8036

Digital Equipment Corporation, Dave Price
telephone: (603) 884-3467

Fulcrum Technologies Inc., Peter Eddison
telephone: (613) 238-1761

Hewlett-Packard Company, Diane Dennis
telephone: (303) 229-2255

Highland Software, Mel Sibony/Jon Lane
telephone: (415) 493-8567

Interactive Systems Corporation, Maury Domengeaux
telephone: (213) 453-8649 x3106

Lehman Brothers, Scott Menter
telephone: (212) 464-8737

Mentor Graphics Corporation, Rich Bruer
telephone: (503) 685-7000 x1231

Meridian Data, Sheri Elpren
telephone: (408) 438-3100

Next Technology Corp., Graham Brown-Martin
telephone: 011 44 223 420 222

Philips Kommunications Industrie, Dr. K. Meissner
telephone: 011 49 271 380 2574 or hotel guest at the
Beverly Heritage Hotel (408) 943-9080

The Santa Cruz Operation, Inc., Zee Zaballos
telephone: (408) 425-7222 x5561

Silicon Graphics Computer Systems, Renee Wildman
telephone: (415) 335-1026

Solbourne Computer, Steve Kowalski
telephone: (303) 678-4382

Sun Microsystems, Inc., Carol Sacks
telephone: (415) 336-0521

Young Minds, Andy Young
telephone: (714) 335-1350
___________________________________________________________________________

re: CD-ROM proposed specifications                                21 Mar 91

The following Rock Ridge documents will be available shortly:

     Cover letter with contact information (always sent)

 [X] Press Release (18 March 1991)

 [X] Rock Ridge Group Goals document

 [X] Rock Ridge Interchange Protocol, revision 1.07

 [X] System Use Sharing Protocol, revision 1.07

[X] denotes the defaults.  Please reply to this message or email to one of
the addresses below to obtain copies.  Edit this message if you desire a
different file mix or format.  Please include your preferred internet and
UUCP addresses (e.g. a .SIG).  Do not rely on your return address.

 [X] ASCII plaintext (nroff -mm | col -b).

 [_] PostScript source (single file per document, not encapsulated).

 [_] TROFF source (MM and MS macros).  RRIP and SUSP specification documents
     are "shar" file collections and include a Makefile.

 [_] Typeset HP Printer Command Language (single PCL-3 file per document,
     ready for "raw" printing on a LaserJet Plus or later or compatible,
     after uudecoding and L-Z uncompression.  Caution:  requires 8-bit path
     to printer and performs font reset and font downloads.)

You may request additional mailings in the same or different mixes/formats
at any time.

Regards,                                              Hewlett-Packard
Bob Niland                                            3404 East Harmony Road
Internet: rjn@FC.HP.COM                               Fort Collins
UUCP:     hplabs!hpfcrjn!rjn                          CO          80525-9599
                                                      atten: Bob Niland MS66