Reflections on standards

ABSTRACT

Today we use our computers, add extra peripherals and install software without much thought as to whether they will work as advertised. When we are using a windows-style interface, even with an unfamiliar bit of software, we naturally expect to find the "save" command as part of the drop-down "file" menu and some form of help will always be available as the right-most menu item. A few years ago I was in China to give a conference presentation and had to help a fellow presenter set up a computer for his PowerPoint talk the next day. Our hosts had kindly provided us with a computer, but all the menus were in Chinese. It was only the fact that we knew where to look in the drop-down menus for the standard facilities that enabled us to (with only a slight problem) get his presentation ready for the next session.

INDEX TERMS

Primary Classification:
  K. Computing Milieux
  K.1 THE COMPUTER INDUSTRY
      Subjects: Standards

Additional Classification:
  D. Software
  D.2 SOFTWARE ENGINEERING
      D.2.0 General
          Subjects: Standards

General Terms:
Documentation