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From: robertd@tektronix.UUCP (Bob Dietrich)
Newsgroups: net.lang
Subject: Re: Standardization (Pascal, not liters)
Message-ID: <5174@tektronix.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 4-Mar-85 18:23:14 EST
Article-I.D.: tektroni.5174
Posted: Mon Mar  4 18:23:14 1985
Date-Received: Wed, 6-Mar-85 03:09:58 EST
References: <283@gumby.UUCP> <5125@tektronix.UUCP>, <289@gumby.UUCP> <428@nbs-amrf.UUCP> <355@sftri.UUCP>
Organization: Tektronix, Beaverton OR
Lines: 33

> > > > ..... Whether you personally accept it or not, standards exist for
> > > > Pascal for both the ANSI/IEEE and ISO versions.
> 
> I think this is a matter of definition. In my opinion, the standard does
> imply uniqueness, but then I am originally from Europe. Hence, I would vote
> for the definition that says if there is a standard for X then only subjects
> that comply with the standard can be called X. If you want more than one "standard"
> pick another word, a weaker word like "flavor".
> 				Boris Altman
> 				AT&T Bell Labs Summit NJ
> 				{ucbvax, ihnp4, allegra}!attunix!boris

In some ways, my original comment has been taken out of context. The first
quote above mainly related to Mike Inners' statement: "Indeed, there is no
accepted standard for Pascal."  I went on to discuss what I thought he was
saying regarding "standard" and "incomplete", and in some ways agreed.

I think the main point is that we are not discussing "standard" in a general
way (at least I wasn't). The topic was Pascal, and my comments attempted to
address talking about "standard" in a general way versus a standard for a
programming language that has been produced by an accredited standards
organization. In the later case, it is not debatable whether there is a
standard or not. The only confusion that can arise is whether someone is
talking about a national standard (produced by an organization like ANSI) or
an international standard (ISO, of which ANSI is a member). Usually even this
is not a problem, because the ANSI and ISO standards are identical.

                                              Bob Dietrich
                                              Tektronix, Inc.
                                              (503) 629-1727
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