"Open Standards": definitions

In another thread it is being discussed if/how EME is compatible with
Open Source or not.

In that context this question needs to be answered:
*What is an Open Standard?*

I therefore have compiled a small number of relevant definitions and
further material.

***

The definition published by the Free Software Foundation Europe (FSFE):

"An Open Standard refers to a format or protocol that is

"1. ...

"2. without any components or extensions that have dependencies on
formats or protocols that do not meet the definition of an Open Standard
themselves;

"3. free from legal or technical clauses that limit its utilisation by
any party or in any business model;

"..."

http://fsfe.org/activities/os/def.html

***

The definition published by the Open Source Initiative (OSI):

"An "open standard" must not prohibit conforming implementations in open
source software.

"To comply with the Open Standards Requirement, an "open standard" must
satisfy the following criteria. If an "open standard" does not meet
these criteria, it will be discriminating against open source developers.

"1. No Intentional Secrets: The standard MUST NOT withhold any detail
necessary for interoperable implementation. As flaws are inevitable, the
standard MUST define a process for fixing flaws identified during
implementation and interoperability testing and to incorporate said
changes into a revised version or superseding version of the standard to
be released under terms that do not violate the OSR.

"2. ...

"3. Patents: All patents essential to implementation of the standard MUST:
* be licensed under royalty-free terms for unrestricted use, or
* be covered by a promise of non-assertion when practiced by open source
software

"4. No Agreements: There MUST NOT be any requirement for execution of a
license agreement, NDA, grant, click-through, or any other form of
paperwork to deploy conforming implementations of the standard.

"5. No OSR-Incompatible Dependencies: Implementation of the standard
MUST NOT require any other technology that fails to meet the criteria of
this Requirement."

Open Standards Requirement for Software
http://opensource.org/osr

***

"The industry has learned by experience that the only software-related
standards to fully achieve these goals are those which not only permit
but encourage open-source implementations. Open-source implementations
are a quality and honesty check for any open standard that might be
implemented in software; whether an application programming interface, a
hardware interface, a file format, a communication protocol, a
specification of user interactions, or any other form of data
interchange and program control.

"... standards that preclude open source implementation are unhelpful to
what is now a significant community of software developers and users,
and it would be disingenuous to call any such standards "open" when they
are, in fact, closed."
(But read the complete document)

Open Standards Requirements for Software - Rationale
http://opensource.org/osr-rationale

Cheers,
Andreas

Received on Thursday, 6 June 2013 19:30:31 UTC