- De facto
- De jure
- Industry Standards Body
- Industry Consortium / Technology Web
Standards Issues
Before the case studies are presented, it is important to clarify the definition of standards. In addition, there are many different types of standards in industry today. Examples of the various types of standards are presented as well.
Definition
A reference model is a generic framework for thinking about a problem. It is a logical breakdown of some activity (like communications) into a number of distinct steps or parts. Specific protocols are required in order to implement a reference model. A protocol is a statement that explains how a specific task, such as transferring data, will be performed. Reference models and protocols become standards when they are approved by important standard-setting groups, mandated by law or when a market leader or the market itself builds or buys products that support the models and protocols.
Types of Standards
As alluded to in the definition, there are essentially four methods of standardization:
A de facto standard is determined solely by the market. Although not an exact figure, a market share of 70% is thought to be the minimum requirement to obtain the de facto label. De jure refers to a standard that is mandated by law by a governing body. Historically, standards have been most often created by the endorsement of an industry standards body such as IEEE or SEMI. Recently, however, industry consortia and technology webs have become very active in the creation of standards. Microsoft/Intel and Oracle/Sun/Apple/IBM/Netscape are two examples of technology webs that have been very active in creating standards.
A standard can be either open or proprietary, or somewhere in between. A standard may also move from one category to another. The chart below attempts to categorize a few standards.