1. Track 2: Open standards Break-out session Room = Amphi IRIS
Standards, open standards and Interoperability II September 2005 Sophia Antipolis
Track 2: Open standards Break-out session
Room = Amphi IRIS
Moderator: Jean Pierre Henninot
Support: Yves Chauvel & Gavin Craik

2. Overview 18 attendees. Inputs or reference documents:
Summary of the exchanges on the discussion forum.
report from ICTSB focus group, CompTIA white paper, EICTA paper, IDABC EIF document.
Working process in the group
broad exchange of views as a starting step
followed by a synthesis, and aiming at a conclusion
Subjects discussed:
Purpose of the definition
No academic or dictionary definition foreseen
Preference for a minimum set of characteristics
GSC resolution is acceptable as a basis for the work of Track 2

3. Analysis of GSC Resolution GSC 10/04,
Extract of “Recognizing”
“Standards should:
Facilitate interoperability
Support fair trade and competition
Increase user, consumer and government confidence
Stimulate innovation”
Track 2 comment:
as the scope is specified to be the ICT field, this objectives are supported

4. Analysis of GSC Resolution GSC 10/04,
“ The 10th GSC meeting……. resolves that the PSOs define an open standard to include the following fundamental elements:
Developed and/or approved and maintained by a collaborative consensus-based process
…….”
Track 2 comments
consensus based process does not exclude voting when necessary

5. Analysis of GSC Resolution GSC 10/04,
“The 10th GSC meeting……. resolves that the PSOs define an open standard to include the following fundamental elements:
…...
Such process is transparent
…….”
Track 2 comments:
perhaps too concise?
But acceptable if it implies that this process is documented and published

6. Analysis of GSC Resolution GSC 10/04,
“The 10th GSC meeting……. resolves that the PSOs define an open standard to include the following fundamental elements:
……..
Materially affected and interested parties are not excluded from such process
……..”
Track 2 comments:
after a discussion on potential change to a positive wording,
the text appears as pretty good…..

7. Analysis of GSC Resolution GSC 10/04,
“The 10th GSC meeting……. resolves that the PSOs define an open standard to include the following fundamental elements:
……..
Subject to RAND/FRAND IPR policies which do not mandate but may permit at the option of the IPR holder licensing essential IPR without compensation
…….”
Track 2 comment:
no comment, but observation that this is covering the royalty-free case

8. Analysis of GSC Resolution GSC 10/04,
“The 10th GSC meeting……. resolves that the PSOs define an open standard to include the following fundamental elements:
……..
Published and made available to the general public under reasonable terms (including for reasonable fee or for no fee)
………”
Track2 comments
no significant comment

9. (Proposed) Conclusion
The GSC way of addressing the issue of « open standards » is acceptable
The break out session can be considered as a «test », considering the various discussions on the interpretation of this text
It should be recommended that every organisation adopts this text having in mind that:
it is valid in the ICT scope
it gives a characterisation of «open standards » through a minimum set of characteristics
in a given context, actors can precise their practical application
The comments should be published in the minutes or report of this second SOS-interop Workshop.