standard article

[John S. Quarterman]

From: John S. Quarterman <jsq at usenix.org>

USENIX and Standards

As a result of the increasing importance of standards in the UNIX
community, the USENIX Association is expanding its involvement in
standards related to the UNIX operating system.  The Association is
interested in promoting technical stability through standards without
limiting technical progress.

Since 1986, the Association has had an Institutional Representative on
the IEEE P1003 (POSIX) committee.  This expanding standards effort
includes greater coverage of the P1003 subcommittees, as well as the
/usr/group Technical Committee and of the ANSII X3J11 C Language committee.

    USENIX Association standards involvement includes:

%  providing information to the membership and the public through ;login:,
comp.std.unix on USENET, BOFs at conferences, and in the trade press;

%  providing forums for technical discussion which may include
workshops or technical sessions at conferences;

%  acting as an ombudsman for those otherwise unrepresented on the
standards committees;

%  encouraging people to become involved in the standards efforts;

%  attempting to enhance the technical quality of the standards by
encouraging concise, written proposals.

This expanded USENIX Association standards effort is being implemented
through two committees.  The first is a working committee of volunteers
from the various standards committees.  The second is a policy committee
initially consisting of Alan G. Nemeth, USENIX Association President,
John S. Quarterman, USENIX Association Director and the Association's
Institutional Representative to the IEEE P1003 committee, Shane McCarron,
IEEE P1003.1 Secretary, and Grover Righter.

Volume-Number: Volume 14, Number 27