Monday, October 7, 2002		Feature

Same size that fits all
World Standards Day falls on October 14
Sukhpreet

ALL ATM cards are same in size and functionally too hence can be used at the authorised ATM machine! Any monitor can be linked to any kind of CPU through a common cord, the cord having the same D-type connectors! All motherboards can accommodate standard RAM. That sounds pretty obvious nowadays. However, all that has gone to make such things possible is as a result of many years of concerted efforts of experts worldwide. Starting from the standardisation of a small nut and bolt to developing and facilitating the information technology is the responsibility of the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO).

 The emphasis that is presently being laid on evolving standards for information technology can very be well judged as 2,100 technical experts are actively involved together under the banner of ISO/IEC JTC –Technical Committee that develops, maintains, promotes and facilitates information technology (IT) standards in order to ensure that these standards remain timely, competitive, meet the rapidly evolving needs of the global information technology market. Information and Communications Technology has already changed the way we work, the way we shop, the way we learn and the way we communicate. Now it is starting to change the way we relate to governments.

Nowhere is the potential impact greater than in the developing world, and thus the regulatory body like the ISO have a much greater role to play in the standardisation. Each year on October 14, the members of ISO, the International Electro Technical Commission (IEC), which develops international standards for the electrical and electronics industry; and the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), an international organisation responsible for development of telecommunications standards, celebrate the World Standards Day, which is a instrument of paying tribute to the collaborative efforts of the thousands of experts worldwide who develop the technical agreements that are published as international standards.

From an initial member list of 25 countries, ISO based at Geneva, Switzerland, now has 123 member nations; itself speaks volumes about the concern of the world for the development of the internationally acceptable standards and ensuring consistency of the various components. Since its first celebration in 1970, member countries commemorate World Standards Day by organising special gathering and events, ranging from conferences, exhibitions and seminars and certain countries even celebrate a full "standards week" around mid October. This year the world standards day is being celebrated with message focusing on the theme: One standard, one test –accepted everywhere.

The major objective of World Standards Day is to nurture awareness of the global standardisation to the world economy and promote its role in helping meet the needs of business, industry, government and even the consumers all around the world. These standards help to ensure that goods and services have the same quality wherever they are made.

Based on international consent, standards help achieve a variety of objectives such as ensuring safety and performance and provide a common technical foundation for producing goods, services and systems anywhere. The advantage of one standard, one test accepted everywhere is the existence of one internationally accepted standard and one internationally accepted test helps to foster the development of a global market for goods or services. In so doing, it makes products and services acceptable in all countries.