Obtaining POSIX documents.
Donn Terry
donn at hpfcrn.fc.hp.com
Fri Mar 15 03:06:36 AEST 1991
Submitted-by: donn at hpfcrn.fc.hp.com (Donn Terry)
Since I'm frequently asked how to get ahold of POSIX documents, here are
the standard answers. This is my best understanding of the data, but
isn't official. Please let me know of any errors (and I'll fix them),
but don't blame me for them.
Jim Isaak mailed an eariler draft of this document, which contained an
earlier version of the form that appears below, which was also posted
to comp.std.unix. DO NOT USE THAT OTHER FORM. The folks who do the
mailing had some specific input about the design of the form, and this
version reflects that input.
Donn Terry
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sources of information about the POSIX Standards
3/11/91
A quick picture:
Copies of the IEEE and ISO POSIX.1 Standard (ISO 9945-1:1990,
a.k.a. IEEE Std. 1003.1-1990) can be obtained from the IEEE
Computer Society at +1 (714) 821-8380. (See below for international
sources, mail contacts, and the like.)
Copies of Draft standards in progress can be obtained from the
IEEE Computer Society office: +1 (202) 371-0101.
Information on the POSIX Conformance Test Suite used by the U.S.
Government can be obtained from: +1 (703) 487-4650,
Order #PB90-500919.
IEEE is offering a seminar on the POSIX standards, for more
details, contact: +1 (800) 678-IEEE (see IEEE Stds Office below).
Uniforum publishes a set of "POSIX Explored" publications on the
POSIX standards. These can be obtained from Uniforum,
+1 (408) 986-8840.
There are also various privately authored tutorial books on the
subject available from several sources. (None listed here to
avoid any implication of endorsing one over the other in case I
miss any.)
1) Machine readable, any form: currently not available.
(But being investigated. The current reasons are summarized at
the end.)
2) Paper copies of Published Standards.
There are two versions of ISO/IEC 9945-1 (a.k.a. IEEE 1003.1). The
ISO and IEEE documents are identical except for the covers.
This is the only "fully approved" POSIX standard at this point, it
replaces IEEE Std. 1003.1-1988, which is still referenced by the
U.S. Government's FIPS 151-1.
The ISO documents can be ordered through the various national bodies.
ANSI in the US, DIN in Germany, etc.
Document numbers:
POSIX.1:
ISO/IEC 9945-1:1990
IEEE Std. 1003.1-1990
IEEE Order number SH13680
IEEE CS Catalog number 1019
ISBN 1-55937-061-0
(Other documents not yet available in this form.)
IEEE availability.
The IEEE version can be ordered from several sources. The
"SH" number (found on the lower left of the cover or lower
right of the front inside cover is the key to ordering it.)
There is a 10% quantity discounts (>50 copies) from IEEE.
The first copy for IEEE (but not CS) members is 30% discount
from IEEE, all others at list. The CS has a different
discount schedule that applies to CS members as well.
There is an order form in the IEEE Standards Catalog about
who can do credit purchases. Call +1 (908) 562-3800 to
request a copy of the catalog.
POSIX.1: List $75.00
Continental US:
Computer Society: +1 (714) 821 8380 (Ask for Customer Service)
or IEEE Publication Sales +1 (800) 678-IEEE
Canada:
IEEE Canada +1 (908) 981-1393.
7071 Yonge St.
Thornhill, Ontario L3T 2A6
Canada.
Outside Continental US or via paper.
IEEE Service Center +1 (800) 678-IEEE
445 Hoes Lane, PO Box 1331
Piscataway, NJ 08855-1331
-or-
IEEE Computer Society +1 (714) 821 8380
10662 Los Vaqueros Cir. Fax +1 (714) 821 4010
PO Box 3014
Los Alamitos Ca. 90720-3014
Europe:
IEEE Computer Society +32 2 770 2198
Jacques Kevers Fax +32 2 770 8505
13, Ave de l'Aquilon
B-1200
Brussels, Belgium.
Asia:
IEEE Computer Society +81 33 408 3118
Ms. Kyoko Mikami Fax +81 33 408 3553
Ooshima Building
2-19-1 Minami Aoyma
Minato-Ku, Tokyo 107
Japan
ISO Availability:
ISO
1, rue de Varembe
Gase Postale 58
CH-1211
Geneve 20
Switzerland/Suisse.
ANSI +1 (212) 354-3300
1430 Broadway
New York, NY 10010
3) Drafts in Balloting.
For drafts that currently are in balloting contact the
IEEE Standards office at the Hoes Lane address above.
There may be a per-page copying charge.
4) Drafts not yet balloting (working drafts), contact:
IEEE Computer Society (202) 371-0101
1730 Massachusetts Ave N.W. Fax (202) 728-9614
Washington, DC 20036-1903
There may be a per-page copying charge.
5) Subscriptions to the POSIX mailings:
Note that this form tends to get a bit out of date rapidly. However, it
should get you reasonably plugged into the process. Explanatory
notes follow the form.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
IEEE TCOS-Standards Document Distribution Service 3-13-91
INVOICE and Fee Schedule
Name: ________________________________ Date: _______________________
Address:________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
Phone: ________________________ E-Mail: ________________________
Master Card/Visa/AmEx #: _______________________ Expiration: _________
(circle one)
Signature: ________________________________________________________
Instructions: Indicate what project(s) and types of materials you would like
to receive. Mark only one column. Fees are charged per-page to
defray the actual cost. Billing is in units of 500 pages. All
accounts are prepaid, and debited at the time of mailing.
Invoices are sent when accounts become depleted.
Group: choose one of a, b, or c below: All Drafts
Materials Only
a) Status only (notices, status reports, document lists) ____ n/a
b) All Groups (You will receive materials for new groups ____ ____
automatically as they are created)
c) Individual Projects (see attachment for descriptions)
All Drafts All Drafts All Drafts
Materials Only Materials Only Materials Only
1003.0 ___ ___ 1003.1 ___ ___ 1003.2 ___ ___
1003.3 ___ ___ 1003.4 ___ ___ 1003.5 ___ ___
1003.6 ___ ___ 1003.7 ___ ___ 1003.8 ___ ___
1003.9 ___ ___ 1003.10 ___ ___ 1003.11 ___ ___
1003.12 ___ ___ 1003.14 ___ ___ 1003.15 ___ ___
1003.17 ___ ___ 1003.18 ___ ___ 1201.1 ___ ___
1201.2 ___ ___ 1224 ___ ___ 1237 ___ ___
1238 ___ ___
Should this selection completely replace
your existing subscription? Yes No
Number of 500 pages units: ____ x US$45 _______
International Express Mail fee: ____ US$400 _______
Total amount due for above services: _______
Receipt Requested? Yes No
Payment: Payment may be made by charge card (above), or by check or money order
payable to IEEE 1003. Please retain a copy of this form for your records.
**********BE CERTAIN TO INCLUDE THIS FORM WITH YOUR PAYMENT.****************
Notes:
An average mailing of all materials is over 2000 pages.
Regular delivery to international addresses can take up to 8 weeks.
Project Number and Title list:
1003.0 POSIX Guide, 1003.11 Transaction Processing AEP
1003.1 System Interfaces, 1003.12 Protocol Independent Interf
1003.2 Shell & Util. 1003.13 Real Time AEP,
1003.3 Test Methods, 1003.14 Multiprocessing AEP,
1003.4 Real Time, 1003.15 Batch Services,
1003.5 Ada Bindings, 1003.17 Directory Service API,
1003.6 POSIX Security, 1003.18 POSIX Platform AEP
1003.7 System Admin., 1201.1 Windowing Toolkit API,
1003.8 Trans. File Access 1201.2 User Interface Driveability
1003.9 Fortran Bindings 1224 X.400 Gateway API,
1003.10 Supercomputing AEP 1238 Common OSI API & FTAM API
Send the materials to: For inquiries about current subscription:
TCOS Standards Subscriptions Charles Habermann
c/o Lisa Granoien NAPS International
IEEE Computer Society 117 Mackubin St. Suite 6
1730 Massachusetts Ave. NW St. Paul, MN 55102
Washington DC 20036-1903 +1 (612) 224-9239
202-371-0101 cjh at bungia.mn.org
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
On machine readable:
Machine readable copies of the standards, in any form are currently
not available. Period.
Reasons:
a) Document integrity. There is a real risk (in that apparently
it has happened) that slightly modified documents are passed off
as the "real" standard. (Although not impossible, it's harder
with paper, and more blatantly illegal.)
Secondarily, when you obtain a copy how do you know, for sure,
that it hasn't been tapered with? You'd have to have some
trusted source. (Particularly critical for purchasing litigation.)
b) Loss of income to ISO or IEEE (although an important reason,
cynicism aside, it is less important than the first.) Without
that income, IEEE would be able to progress the standards process
forward. Much of the development process is "free" to the IEEE
volunteers who do the work (for example, editorial support,
much of the balloting process, and lots of logistical support).
This is supported by sales of the document. Ditto ISO.
Nevertheless it is being investigated as a recognized need, and if
the problems above can be dealt with, some form of machine readable
will be available in the future.
Other notes:
The other POSIX standards will (mostly) become IEEE and ISO standards
in time, but for many there will likely be a period where there is
only an IEEE version.
The IEEE has a plasticized cover, blue with orange trim, identified on
the spine (and they tell me that the orange is a color code). The
ISO cover is the standard ISO white cover. Both are on A4 paper.
Volume-Number: Volume 23, Number 14
More information about the Comp.std.unix
mailing list