From carson@siggraph.org Wed Apr 16 18:49:25 1997 Received: from siggraph.cgrg.ohio-state.edu (siggraph.cgrg.ohio-state.edu [128.146.18.100]) by dkuug.dk (8.6.12/8.6.12) with ESMTP id SAA13173 for ; Wed, 16 Apr 1997 18:49:20 +0200 Received: from study (carson@siggraph.org) by siggraph.cgrg.ohio-state.edu (8.8.5/941010.52) with SMTP id MAA03632 for ; Wed, 16 Apr 1997 12:49:15 -0400 (EDT) Message-Id: <3.0.32.19970416105028.00754dd0@siggraph.cgrg.ohio-state.edu> X-Sender: carson@siggraph.cgrg.ohio-state.edu X-Mailer: Windows Eudora Pro Version 3.0 (32) Date: Wed, 16 Apr 1997 10:50:34 -0600 To: SC24@dkuug.dk From: Steve Carson Subject: Text only for JTC1N4631 Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable ISO/IEC JTC 1 N 4631 Title: Rationale and Questions to JTC 1 National Bodies and Subcommittees Regarding JTC 1 Technical Directions and Organization Source: JTC 1 Ad Hoc on JTC 1 Reengineering Action: This document is forwarded to JTC 1 National Bodies and Subcommittees. Subcommittees are asked to respond by 15 May 1997. The Subcommittee responses will be considered at the June Re-engineering Ad Hoc meeting. A NEW APPROACH FOR JTC1 Continuing technological and market developments require JTC 1 to adapt itself to satisfy the changing requirements. The resulting approach is expected to attract new resources and areas of work for JTC 1. As a first stage in responding to these developments, JTC 1 has, with help from the subcommittees, eliminated a number of projects which had inadequate support. JTC 1 has also revised its working procedures to improve efficiency and market relevance. We wish to maintain JTC1's existing strengths such as the open, world wide consensus process and a stable structure to ensure ongoing maintenance of its published standards. JTC 1 standards provide the platform for world trade and endeavour to limit the effect of national differences causing barriers to trade. In essence we need to provide market relevant standards in a timely manner. As part of the re-engineering process we have adopted a business team concept, subject to a 60 day letter ballot, to help with selecting market relevant projects and getting them off to a flying start. We are proposing to adopt a pilot project which is documented in JTC 1 N xxxx and your cooperation will help us to ensure the success of the project. As a further part of the process, we have identified twelve technical directions which we believe are of strategic market relevance. These twelve directions are based on the situation today. See attachment 1. The list of directions will be re-aligned as external circumstances demand. By focussing on these technology directions, JTC 1's standards will be more efficient, effective and market oriented. We expect that these technical directions will provide a focus for new technologies as they arise for example, if market requirements dictate the a new distributed application service standard needs to be developed, our technical direction in this area would give JTC 1 a ready home for the standard to be developed. Having attempted to map the existing structure onto these new directions we observe some consequential changes to JTC1 and its subcommittees may be required. This mapping is displayed in the table in Attachment 2. Any changes to the existing JTC 1 structure will be handled in phased increments in order not to adversely affect the ongoing work. While we have made every attempt to create the mapping with the greatest accuracy, we would appreciate any comments which would enable us to improve it. We have scheduled that we conclude the plan at the June re-engineering meeting for final agreement at the JTC 1 Plenary in September. Your response to these proposals by 15 May 1997 is required to help us meet our objectives. We have prepared a draft recommendation to JTC1, on how we believe the present work program of each SC or in some cases, a WG or a project of a SC maps to the technical directions. Please comment on the completeness and consistency of these Technical Directions. In addition please comment on the following questions. 1. Do you consider that your present projects * align with the proposed recommendation? If not please provide rationale for a different alignment within the overall set of technical directions. 2. Do you believe your current projects* within the proposed technical direction will benefit from a synergistic fit with other projects,* (if any) in your technical direction? 3. Do you believe any of your current projects require significant interactions with projects* in other technical directions?=20 If so which ones? 4a. Do you believe supplementary standardization activity should be undertaken to sufficiently address the technical direction and which adds value to the work of JTC 1? For example there appears to be added standardization needs in the technical direction "Security" beyond the present work program of SC27. =20 4b. Do you consider that the resources to address these areas will be available? * or project grouping =20 Attachment 1 Descriptions of Technical Directions Data Capture Coding (data formats, syntax, and structure) and enabling technologies for individually and uniquely identifying items and entities. Distributed Application Services Enabling technologies for use in a distributed environment in order to achieve concrete distributed application services. They constitute: =A7 Data management functions including definition of data structures and semantics for a complete range of datatypes, together with services and protocols for storage, access and update of such data;=20 =A7 Specification of application functions independently of the details of their distribution (through the use of object technology); together with the configuration and management of those functions across enterprises. Distributed systems services functions such as transaction processing, electronic messaging, directory and systems management; and for specification of techniques used for messaging in electronic commerce. ID Cards and Related Devices Interchange and manipulation of stored digital data on optical, magnetic and/or semiconductor media, using on demand optical, magnetic, electrical and/or RF techniques. Information Interchange Media Physical characteristics of storage media using optical, magnetic or other technologies and structure of data for storage and interchange, including algorithms for the loss-less compression of data. IT Terminology Terminology for Information Technology and related fields, intended to achieve consistency throughout worldwide markets and users. Multimedia & Representation Coding of hypermedia and multimedia and coded representation of picture, audio and character information, including - sets of compression and control functions for use with such information, - interchange of such information. Networking and Interconnects Functions necessary for establishment and control of information exchange via networks and physical interfaces. They comprise, for communications, interfaces and protocols, for transport, network management and selected application services and the physical infrastructure. Office Equipment Basic characteristics, performance, test methods and other related aspects of office equipment and products such as: =B7 Printers =B7 Copying equipment =B7 Digital scanners =B7 Facsimile equipment Programming Languages and Software Interfaces Programming languages, their environments and systems software interfaces, including - specification techniques, - common facilities, and - language bindings. Security Generic frameworks, methods, techniques and mechanisms for Information and Communication Technology security, including interfaces for invoking security functionalities, related APIs and protocols. Software Engineering Processes, supporting tools and supporting technologies for the engineering of software products and systems. User Interfaces User-system interfaces for input devices such as keyboards, mice, pointers and pens; rules for systems control by voice recognition, presentation techniques, dialogues, graphic symbols and icons including those for people with special needs. Attachment 2 Technical Directions Currently Involved Working Entities =09 Data Capture SC 31 Distributed Application Services SC 21 (except ASN.1), SC 18/WG 4, SC 30, SC 14 Identification Cards and Related Devices SC 17 Information Interchange Media SC 11, SC 23 IT Terminology SC 1 Multimedia and Representation SC 29, SC 2, SC 24, ASN.1, SC 18/WG 8 Networking & Interconnects SC 6, SC 25, SC 26=20 Office Equipment SC 28 Programming Languages & Software Interfaces SC 22 Security SC 27 Software Engineering SC 7 User Interfaces SC 18/WG 9 --------------------------------------------------------- Steve Carson phone: +1-505-521-7399 GSC Associates Inc. fax: +1-505-521-9321 5272 Redman Road e-mail: carson@siggraph.org Las Cruces, NM 88011 USA ---------------------------------------------------------