what does ISO stand for?

[Phil Ngai]

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!ph...@decwrl.dec.com

[Phil Ngai]

In article <13...@amdcad.UUCP> ph...@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"?

[Simon Kenyon]

> 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: si...@einode.UUCP
Smail: The National Software Centre, Dublin, IRELAND
Phone: +353-1-716255
EUnet is a registered trademark of the EUUG

[Bob Devine]

> 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]

In article <1...@einode.UUCP> si...@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.