phil@amdcad.UUCP (Phil Ngai) (09/30/86)
A lot of people go around saying that ISO stands for International Standards Organization. Even Tannenbaum in _Computer Networks_. Well, it's not true. As sources, I cite the 802.3 standard's foreword and also John McNamara's _Local Area Networks_. They both define ISO as the International Organization for Standardization. No, it's not an acronym. An international body such as ISO can not afford to appear to favor any one language, even in the tiniest way. So they carefully chose ISO and names in different languages which did not have ISO as an acronym. Surely this is a nit, you say. Yes, but I like to collect facts like this. Then when I come upon a new source of information, I have a variety of indices with which to assign a credibility rating. Whether they get the little things right is one factor in their rating. (not a big factor, but a factor nevertheless. You can't be a good engineer if you don't take care of the details.) Oh dear, is this another plug for John McNamara's books? Well, there are plenty more reasons than the definition of ISO to regard _Local Area Networks_ as a useful source. Check it out. -- In Texas they put up road signs telling drivers to obey the road signs. Phil Ngai +1 408 749 5720 UUCP: {ucbvax,decwrl,ihnp4,allegra}!amdcad!phil ARPA: amdcad!phil@decwrl.dec.com
phil@amdcad.UUCP (Phil Ngai) (09/30/86)
In article <13196@amdcad.UUCP> phil@amdcad.UUCP (Phil Ngai) writes: >Standards Organization. Even Tannenbaum in _Computer Networks_. Sorry about that. It's Tanenbaum. My book was at home. -- In Arizona they brag about how much water it takes to maintain their lawns and golf courses. Can you say "aquifer overdraft"? Phil Ngai +1 408 749 5720 UUCP: {ucbvax,decwrl,ihnp4,allegra}!amdcad!phil ARPA: amdcad!phil@decwrl.dec.com
simon@einode.UUCP (Simon Kenyon) (10/02/86)
> Well, it's not true. As sources, I cite the 802.3 standard's foreword > and also John McNamara's _Local Area Networks_. They both define ISO > as the International Organization for Standardization. No, it's not an > acronym. An international body such as ISO can not afford to appear to > favor any one language, even in the tiniest way. So they carefully > chose ISO and names in different languages which did not have ISO as > an acronym. i have been told by someone living in France that ISO is OSI and OSI is ISO this she says makes life very difficult she works for a LARGE computer company and usually knows what she is talking about this does not exactly square with the above anyone with any comments -- Simon Kenyon EUnet: simon@einode.UUCP Smail: The National Software Centre, Dublin, IRELAND Phone: +353-1-716255 EUnet is a registered trademark of the EUUG
devine@vianet.UUCP (Bob Devine) (10/02/86)
> Phil Ngai sez: > A lot of people go around saying that ISO stands for International > Standards Organization. Even Tannenbaum in _Computer Networks_. > > Well, it's not true. As sources, I cite the 802.3 standard's foreword > and also John McNamara's _Local Area Networks_. They both define ISO > as the International Organization for Standardization. No, it's not an > acronym. An international body such as ISO can not afford to appear to > favor any one language, even in the tiniest way. So they carefully > chose ISO and names in different languages which did not have ISO as > an acronym. Correct. To illustrate further, the French name for ISO is Organization International de Normalization. Bob Devine
jmg@cernvax.UUCP (jmg) (10/03/86)
In article <171@einode.UUCP> simon@einode.UUCP (Simon Kenyon) writes: >i have been told by someone living in France that ISO is OSI >and OSI is ISO The french always reverse things (or is it the british?) So ISO for them becomes OSI (Organisation pour les Standards Internationals), and our OSI (Open Systems Interconnection) will be ISO (Interconnection des Systemes Ouverts). When you are, like me, anglo-saxon living in a french-speaking country, you can see that it is just occasionally(!) confusing.