Interoperability and open standards Interoperability

open standards rely on broadly consultative , inclusive group including representatives vendors, academics , others holding stake in development discusses , debates technical , economic merits, demerits , feasibility of proposed common protocol. after doubts , reservations of members addressed, resulting common document endorsed common standard. document subsequently released public, , henceforth becomes open standard. published , available freely or @ nominal cost , comers, no further encumbrances. various vendors , individuals (even not part of original group) can use standards document make products implement common protocol defined in standard, , interoperable design, no specific liability or advantage customer choosing 1 product on on basis of standardised features. vendors products compete on quality of implementation, user interface, ease of use, performance, price, , host of other factors, while keeping customers data intact , transferable if chooses switch competing product business reasons.

post facto interoperability

post facto interoperability may result of absolute market dominance of particular product in contravention of applicable standards, or if effective standards not present @ time of product s introduction. vendor behind product can choose ignore forthcoming standards , not co-operate in standardisation process @ all, using near-monopoly insist product sets de facto standard market dominance. not problem if product s implementation open , minimally encumbered, may both closed , heavily encumbered (e.g. patent claims). because of network effect, achieving interoperability such product both critical other vendor if wishes remain relevant in market, , difficult accomplish because of lack of co-operation on equal terms original vendor, may see new vendor potential competitor , threat. newer implementations rely on clean-room reverse engineering in absence of technical data achieve interoperability. original vendors can provide such technical data others, in name of encouraging competition, such data invariably encumbered, , may of limited use. availability of such data not equivalent open standard, because: