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Crossroads of
Information Technology
Standarcis
A Report Prepared by the Workshop Committee
Crossroads of Information Technology Standards
Board on Telecommunications and Computer Applications
Commission on Engineering and Technical Systems
National Research Council
NATIONAL ACADEMY PRESS
Washington, D.C. 1990
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NOTICE: The project that is the subject of this report was approved by the Governing Board of the
National Research Council, whose members are drawn from the councils of the National Academy of
Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, and the Institute of Medicine. The members of the
committee responsible for this report were chosen for their special competences and with regard for
appropriate balance.
This report has been reviewed by a group other than the authors according to procedures
approved by a Report Review Committee consisting of members of the National Academy of
Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, and the Institute of Medicine.
The National Academy of Sciences is a private, nonprofit, self-perpetuating society of dis-
tinguished scholars engaged in scientific and engineering research, dedicated to the furtherance of
science and technology and to their use for the general welfare. Upon the authority of the charter
granted to it by the Congress in 1863, the Academy has a mandate that requires it to advise the
federal government on scientific and technical matters. Dr. Frank Press is president of the National
Academy of Sciences.
The National Academy of Engineering was established in 1964, under the charter of the National
Academy of Sciences, as a parallel organization of outstanding engineers. It is autonomous in its
administration and in the selection of its members, sharing with the National Academy of Sciences
the responsibility for advising the federal government. The National Academy of Engineering also
sponsors engineering programs aimed at meeting national needs, encourages education and research,
and recognizes the superior achievements of engineers. Dr. Robert M. White is president of the
National Academy of Engineering.
The Institute of Medicine was established in 1970 by the National Academy of Sciences to
secure the services of eminent members of appropriate professions in the examination of policy
matters pertaining to the health of the public. The Institute acts under the responsibility given to the
National Academy of Sciences by its congressional charter to be an adviser to the federal government
and, upon its own initiative, to identify issues of medical care, research, and education. Dr. Samuel
O. Thier is president of the Institute of Medicine.
The National Research Council was organized by the National Academy of Sciences in 1916 to
associate the broad community of science and technology with the Academy's purposes of furthering
knowledge and of advising the federal government. Functioning in accordance with general policies
determined by the Academy, the Council has become the principal operating agency of both the
National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Engineering in providing services to the
government, the public, and the scientific and engineering communities. The Council is administered
joints lay both Academies and the Institute of Medicine. Dr. Frank Press and Dr. Robert M. White
are chairman and vice chairman, respectively, of the National Research Council.
This project is supported by agreements between the National Institute of Standards and Technology
(43NANB007123) and the Defense Communications Agency (DDRO00001) and the National Academy
of Sciences. Additional support for report preparation was provided by the General Services
Administration.
Available from:
Board on Telecommunications and Computer Applications
Commission on Engineering and Technical Systems
National Research Council
2101 Constitution Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20418
Printed in the United States of America
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COMMITTEE ON STANDARI)S WORKSHOP PI^NNING
FRED ANDREWS, Bell Communications Research, Inc., Chairman
LAURIE BRII)E, Boeing Computer Services
ROBERT KENEDI, Northern ~lecom Inc.
MARVIN SIRBU, Carnegie Mellon University
JOSEPH TIMKO, AT&T Bell Laboratories
GARTH SALONER, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
WILLIAM VANCE, International Business Machines Corporation
Sponsor Representatives
JAMES BURROWS, National Institute of Standards and Technology
WARREN HAWRYLKO, Defense Communications Engineering Center
Staff
BENJAMIN J. LEON, Study Director
LINDA L. JOYNER, Project Assistant
. ..
1D
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BOARD ON TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND
COMPUTER APPLICATIONS
JORDAN J. BARUCH, Jordan Baruch Associates, Inc., Chairman
GEORGE A. BEKEY, University of Southern California
DANIEL BELL, American Academy of Arts and Sciences
· HERBERT D. BENINGTON, UNISYS Defense Systems
DAVID J. FARBER, University of Pennsylvania
,IAMEYi L. FLANAGAN, AT&T Bell Laboratories
ROBERT Y. HUANG, TRW Space Technology Group (Retired)
ROBERT L. MARTIN, Bell Communications Research, Inc.
JOHN C. McDONALD, Continental Telecommunications, Inc.
WILLIAM F. MILLER, SRI International
JOEL MOSES, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
HENRY M. RIVERA, Ginzburg, Feldman & Bess
CHARLES STEPHENS, TRW Electronics & Defense Sector (Retired)
ERIC E. SUMNER, AT&T Bell Laboratories
GEORGE L. TURIN, University of California, Berkeley
KEITH W. UNCAPHER, University of Southern California
ANDREW J. VITERBI, University of California, San Diego
WILLIS H. WARE, The RAND Corporation
BARRY H. WHALEN, MCC Corporation
Staff
JOHN M. RICHARDSON, Director
ANTHONY M. FORTE, Senior Staff Officer
BENJAMIN J. LEON, Senior Staff Officer
CARLITA M. PERRY, Staff Associate
LINDA L. '}OYNER, Administrative Assistant
1V
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Preface
A workshop, Crossroads of Information Technology Standards, was
held on October 25-26, 1989, under the auspices of the Board on lblecom-
munications and Computer Applications of the National Research Council.
Sixty experts representing a cross section of industry, government, and
academia participated in the workshop.
The impetus for the workshop was a concern that the standards-
setting process in the United States is excessively slow and cumbersome in
the present era of international competition in high technology industries.
Planning for the workshop was undertaken by a committee of six
individuals with experience in diverse organizations. These organizations
include a computer manufacturer, an interexchange carrier, a telecommu-
nications equipment manufacturer, the information technology user orga-
nization of an aerospace company, a computer systems research unit in the
U.S. government, and the exchange carriers. This committee set the theme
for the workshop, developed the list of invitees from senior executives
of carrier, equipment provider, and user organizations, along with several
academics who have studied the information technology industry.
The planning committee developed a list of questions for consideration
by participants before the workshop. Forty of the approximately 100 invitees
submitted written responses to the questions in advance of the workshop.
At the workshop, keynote addresses were made by executives from
three corporations: International Business Machines Corporation, pre-
senting the information technology manufacturers' point of view; General
Motors, presenting the large user point of view; and Bell Communications
v
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Research (Bellcore), presenting the telecommunications carrier point of
view. In addition, presentations were made on standards developments in
the European Community and in Japan.
At the small group working sessions, the participants reached consensus
on many issues. This report presents the conclusions and recommendations
on which consensus was obtained along with a few points where opinions
were split into two areas. Summaries of the presentations and of the written
responses to the six questions are also included in this report. The general
consensus of participants was that the voluntary standards process could be
improved to meet the challenge of competitiveness. Recommendations are
for actions by leaders of government and the- private sector.
Fred Andrews
Chairman
vi
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Contents
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Conclusions, 1
Recommendations, 2
A Sense of Urgency, 3
1 THE PROBLEM. . .
WORKSHOP APPROACH .
3 SUMMARIES OF THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF
INVI11ED SP EliKJERS ---------
Robert M. White, 9
Peter R. Schneider, 10
Michael ~ Kaminski, 11
Irwin Dorros, 12
John P. Stern, 14
L. John Rankine, 15
4 VIEWS OF WORKSHOP PARTICIPANTS........
Discussion of the Premeeting Survey Results, 17
Major Challenges, 23
Response to the Challenge, 26
. .
V11
.5
.7
............ 17
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APPENDIXES
A Can Standards Help Industry in the United States to Remain
Competitive in the International Marketplace?
Irwut Dorros, 33
B An American in the Japanese Standards System.
John ]? Stern, 43
C The European Communit~r-Will Standards Open or Close
the Market in 1992?
~ John Redone, 59
ACRONYMS
WORKSHOP PARTICIPANTS
. . .
V111
. .67
............ 69
