TaskZ: Standards Follow Practice, They
TaskZ: Standards Follow Practice, They Don't LeadThe iron rule in the story of standards is that standards follow practice, they don't lead. That is, a standard does not burst forth fully formed, causing a revolution on a clean sheet of paper or out of whole cloth. What eventually becomes a standard typically begins as limited practice that is nurtured and then promoted. Once a practice gains traction, it is subjected to the give and take of a marketplace, and is eventually accepted by a community of users. A community grows up around a practice, and the community influences and then controls its evolution. Some form of committee process is created, within certain boundaries. It is a process fraught with peril: defined too tight, a standard cannot grow; defined too loose, a standard does not yield sufficient benefit. A standard will survive and evolve over time only if it attracts adherents and offers them value.
- Wired Magazine: Turn of the Century
Permalink | Friday, March 01, 2002
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