[thelist] clarify standards organizations? (was Re: Why code forstandards)

[Bev Corwin]

My comments follow:
----- Original Message -----
From: "Shirley Kaiser" <skaiser1 at skdesigns.com>
To: <thelist at lists.evolt.org>
Sent: Monday, February 04, 2002 12:04 PM
Subject: [thelist] clarify standards organizations? (was Re: Why code
forstandards)

> Perhaps I'm misunderstanding here, but I have a feeling this thread is
> spinning off to other types of standards organizations rather than W3C,
> which makes recommendations for the Web. No one needs to belong to a
> standards group or organization to create standards-compliant Web sites,
> and since others have been getting into IS0 registration, etc., perhaps
> you're getting into that (which I know nothing about how they function).

I believe it was originally about ISO,  then someone asked about W3C.... I
believe both orgs have suffered from excusionary practices,  which was my
point.   I do not see small businesses as having a voice in these orgs.
There isn't much educational outreach / University involvement, individual
contractors,  just large company employees as memebers.


> I just want clarify that this thread is not about the topic of the
original
> inquiry, which was to help someone clarify reasons and get URLs to explain
> to colleagues why it matters to code a CMS to be standards-compliant
> (referring to the W3C recommendations and Web Standards).
>

This is a good point.  I don't think of the W3C as a standards organization,
however, they do publish many guidelines for the Web.  I've found their
group members also limited to only employees of either government or large
corporations, as well.  Therefore suffering from the same limitations to
their professed goals.

> Could you clarify which standards organizations you're referring to so
that
> the group doesn't misunderstand to what you're referring? I hate to have
> heated posts about the W3C standards recommendations when you're talking
> about other standards organizations.

I speaking of the policies and actions I've observed from the W3C, ISO and
others.  Though I do not (yet) consider the W3C as a standards
organization.... do you?   Aren't they a voluntary guidelines organization
for the WWW?  This thread leads me to believe, however, that they may have
future aspirations to move into standards or regulatory roles.

I realize it is not a popular sentiment to criticize the W3C.   I, also,
have a lot of respect for the work they have done,  and I believe it is a
wonderful organization in many ways.   I just, also, believe in the area of
standardization... the ISO and the W3C...and others.... are not acting as
inclusive organizations in many respects.   Many people have done wonderful
work,  but there has been an oversight which I think should be mentioned,
in my humble opinion.  Sorry if its a touchy subject for some of the loftier
sorts.  Just my personal observations over the years following things from
the "outside".

I believe I've shared enough on the subject, in the spirit of adding some
"insight" to the subject,  I will now resign from the matter and get back to
some productive work.   Best wishes.

Bev