Introduction to Open Standards

2008-07-12T01:04:00.000-07:00

Standards, from what I understand from the word itself, are preset qualities or preferred quality of something, either on things, persons, values or even beliefs or a set of preferences. It is also synonymous to principles that govern a person in is daily living and is “widely used and respected” [1].

We need standards because it serves as a basis when developing a certain product; standards, a framework of specifications that has been approved by a recognized standards organization (de jure standard), and is accepted as a de facto standard by the industry, or belongs to the open standards [2]. Imagine that you are creating software without a basis. It is hard to develop software without standards and even use it.

In the techie world, when creating a product, software for example follows six principles of open standards that were proposed by Bruce Perens. And these principles are: availability, maximize end-user choice, no royalty, no discrimination, extension or subset, predatory practices [2], [3], [4], [5], [6], [7], [8]. With these principles creators are guided when creating a product as well as the consumers. It is because it helps create a fair, competitive market for standard implementation that does not lock a customer into a particular vendor because it is available and free for all, and the organizations that administer them do not favor an implementor over other; its implementation is extended, or offered in subset form that may employ license for subversion protection.”

Open standards has become an important basis for creators and consumers. It is because without standards customers are locked up or will rely solely on a certain vendor for product. Thus, if standards are maintained and followed the possible over-reliance on certain product is guarded, ensuring that adequate and reliable information is governed. In addition, it eliminates the friction from routine activities and enables us to focus on more important priorities in our life…enable us to accomplish what we set out to achieve [10].

References:

1. http://encarta.msn.com/dictionary_1861714490/standard.html
2. Robin Good, “ Standards: Do We Really Need Them?” , December 23, 2003, http://www.masternewmedia.org/2003/12/26/standards_do_we_really_need.htm
3. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_standard
4. http://perens.com/OpenStandards/Definition.html
5. http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/FOSS_Open_Standards/Introduction
6. Venkatesh Hariharan, “Policy challenges for “Open Standards”” , http://osindia.blogspot.com/2007/08/policy-challenges-for-open-standards.html
7. http://www.csrstds.com/openstds.html
8. Ken Krechmer, “The Meaning of Open Standards” , International Center for Standards Research, University of Colorado, http://www.csrstds.com/openstds.html
9. “FOSS Open Standards/Importance and Benefits of Open Standards” , http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/FOSS_Open_Standards/Importance_and_Benefits_of_Open_Standards
10. Venkatesh Hariharan, “The Importance of Open Standards” , http://osindia.blogspot.com/2007/01/importance-of-open-standards.html
11. http://www.openmalaysiablog.com/2006/06/open_standards_.html

Self Introduction

2008-06-21T06:34:00.000-07:00

In the hot days of summer, April 14, 1988, Julieta M. Niones gave birth of a baby girl and named her Julie Ann Niones, that’s me! My name was derived from the combination of my parents’ name, Ann from Anecito and Julie from Julieta. Among the five siblings, I am the youngest. People say that I’m “the apple of the eye,” but for me I’m “papa’s girl”.

I am a shy person when I was a kid however; I tried to conquer my shyness. I always have a problem in communicating with others. By actively participating in my church organization, I am somehow able to improve a bit my communication skills. Yet, I am still having a problem in communicating to my teachers especially during a class nevertheless when I am with my friends; I am talkative and sometimes childish.

Talkative, childish that’s what the “me” you see and know but at home, I am a different person. I talk less, likes to be alone and I prefer silence so that I can concentrate on things I wanted to do. These things are writing poems, short stories or sketching in short, arts. I even call my self a “hermit,” a person who avoids in contact with the world. Well, that’s the other side of me. Although I belong to the techie world, I still tried to improve my skills or talents because I wanted to make use of it. I usually divert my attention to arts when I am stressed out on projects and assignments.

When I was a kid my mother taught how to read and write since she is a teacher. And later, she admitted me to school to further my studies and to broaden my knowledge. I am neither intelligent nor smart. I even dislike to study but I love to learn. I don’t remember much my life in elementary when it comes to academic but luckily I managed to graduate as second honorable mention in San Miguel Elementary School. After graduation, I entered high school. For four years I spend my high school years in Davao del Sur National High School (now Digos City National High School). Currently I am a Bachelor of Science in Information Technology student.

Life is an endless lesson, an undying learning; from the day we born until the day we die. Just like IT, day by day new technology is introduce and you have to study it so that you’ll be able to catch up in the current trend. I belong to the new generation, the generation of new technology. IT, I knew less about it. In short, I am naïve when it comes to it. But I am kind of obsessed in it but it is not the reason why I took BSIT. Bachelor of Science in Information Technology, this course, I honestly don’t have any idea of it. I even don’t know about or hear anything about it. What I want? I wanted to be an engineer but I end up aiming to become an IT enthusiast. It makes me wonder, “Why did I choose IT as a career?”; “Of all courses, why IT?”; “What would be my future job?" Everyday, I keep on asking my self these questions. Everyday, I keep on looking for answers. As the days passed by, I realized that I didn’t need answers or reasons to every question. Why did I choose IT? It is simply because I like it, I love it. It is simply because IT is actually the answer to my questions. Others may say if they were asked, why did you choose IT, they wanted to become a system developer, a programmer or a web designer, but for me? I don’t know.

Until today, I am still not sure in which direction will I choose for my self. For these past three years I keep on asking my self why IT? And for the past three years, for unknown reasons, I am driven to become a systems analyst someday. That is why I will give and try my best for I found a direction, an answer.

"Fly High into the sky; don't be afraid to reach for your dreams. Soar high, spread your wings like an eagle, and bridge the heaven and earth."

Learning Assessment

Introduction to Open Standards

Self Introduction