Article

Sun's Commitment to Worldwide Standards

Recent years have seen radical changes in the marketplace for information technology. The advent of consortia, continued decomposition, and deepening complexities have together challenged the organizations and processes for developing standards at their very roots. JTC 1 (IEC/ISO Joint Technical Committee 1) is one key organization that develops formal, international standards for information technology. Unfortunately, corresponding changes in the administrative setting under which JTC 1 develops those standards (that is, the parent organization, JTC 1, not its subgroups) have been delayed. The consequence, of course, being that there is a gap between the needs of a changing marketplace, and the current capabilities of JTC 1. The net effect has been that JTC 1 seems to have become increasingly unresponsive to the needs of the marketplace.

Maybe a bit of background about the organization of JTC 1 will help. JTC 1 has a 'parent' body and subgroups that report to it. The subgroups of JTC 1 (the administrative body) do the bulk of technical development of JTC 1's standards. These subgroups are the heart and soul of JTC 1. Several Sun people assist in that technical work. Sun's commitment is evident by way of our level of participation, funding and leadership roles within the IEC/ISO/JTC 1 and its technical committee structure.

Sun sees these radical changes, as well as JTC 1's difficulties in adapting to the changing marketplace requirements, and is leading the reengineering effort in JTC 1. Despite Sun's tight fiscal controls, we remain fully committed to international standards and the open processes for developing them. Sun has been steadfast in that commitment. With the active and solid support of Sun management we have continued to lead the way toward meaningful improvements in JTC 1, as well as other organizations that develop formal, worldwide standards for our industry. We consider this commitment pivotal in meeting the demands of our customers, now and into the foresseeable future.

Sun accomplishes this by the the Sun Corporate Standards organization working hand-in -hand with our product engineers. Together they serve Sun by addressing standards needs throughout the entire product life cycle. From product conception through end of product life, the effect of standards is felt everywhere.

Sun people occupy several important positions in JTC 1. These include subcommittee chairman, and heads of delegations to several groups and to JTC 1, the parent organization, itself. Sun's commitment at the nuts and bolts level requires considerable resources of our very well respected subject matter experts. These are the people who develop the language semantics and syntax, protocols, and interface definitions (to name just a few things) that are so clearly important to the marketplace.

One way Sun works to improve JTC 1 is by our high level of participation in JTC 1's Special Group on Futures (SGF). JTC 1 charged SGF to develop a long range business plan by which JTC 1 can become much more responsive to the needs of the market. Sun people from Canada, France, the UK, and the USA are working together to make it happen. They have submitted numerous recommendations in their respective countries. Many of those recommendations have become national positions and have found their way into the long range business plan. Also, four Sun people will actively participate in delegations to the SGF meetings, twice as many as any other organization is sends.

In short, Sun sees the value of a responsive process for developing formal, worldwide standards for information technology. We're putting our valuable resources to work on it.

Sun's commitment to sound processes and organizations for developing formal, worldwide standards for information technology is clear. If the processes and organizations are successful, so too will be our ability to meet the demands of our customers. We are committed to making it happen.