The ASCII convention is an example of an industrial standard. Standards are essential for advances in computing, communication and automation because without standards interaction among machines or even among software packages at a single machine is impossible. For example, communication of information objects, such as a spreadsheet or CAD design, between software programs and devices requires a standard representation. In comparison with the standards for human interaction, the standards for machine interaction are rigid and exacting.
Firms have mixed motives in setting standards. Firms frequently try to set proprietary standards to get customers locked into using their products. However, if each firm adopts its own standard communication between equipment from different vendors is difficult. As markets grow the dominant firm usually sets the standard to which all other participants copy. Today, the move is towards open standards to ease the problems of creating systems of multivendor equipment. Standards expand the market and allow the small firms to seek niches knowing their specialty can be meshed with other equipment.
One example of a search for a standard is the representation of all languages in the world. Obviously, oriental languages which use pictures require larger words than languages which build words out of characters. There is a debate. It appears that 16 bits should suffice. Once a standard is set and accepted worldwide, wordprocessors will be able to process any language easily.
As future managers you should be aware that in markets where there are no standards, equipment can become obsolete overnight if new standards are adopted.
Surf the Net: For a TI discussion of the need for standards to promote informational society communication, click here. For a listing of numerous sites focused on computer and communication standards, courtesy of Yahoo, click here To return to the notes remember to click `back' at the top of your screen. You may have to click several times depending how deeply you delve into these files.