Re: 8 bit characters, POSIX, IEEE and flames (Was Re: Two "Simple" I/O Questions)

[alex@MIMSY.CS.UMD.EDU (Alex Blakemore)]

In article <EMERY.93Feb6222019@dr_no.mitre.org> emery@dr_no.mitre.org (David Em
ery) writes:
> I can assure everyone that the current IEEE standard is *NOT* a Xerox
> copy of the balloted draft with a couple of text edit changes.  In
> fact, it was phototypeset at no little expense.

Dave and all,

I must apologize for not reading the stamp on the front that says the
current distribution is is manuscript form prior to publication I was
under the impression that what they were selling now was the finished product.

I was annoyed that for the amount of money they charge ($40-$60), the
standard was not bound - just loose unpunched paper.  I already had
something like that from the balloting.  For that price, I expected
some kind of book. If its typeset, its hard to tell from a good copy.
Its wonderful that the IEEE wants to release an early manuscript, but
I wish they had made that clear.  I would have saved my money.

Perhaps someone will save a few dollars by waiting till the bound
version is ready if thats what they want as a result of my last flame.
If you dont have a copy from the balloting, then its probably worth it
to buy this early copy irregardless of the form.

> Currently, they are considering
> providing the package specs on a floppy disk with each copy of the
> POSIX 1003.5 standard.    (Current holders of the standard would be
> entitled to a copy of this disk presumably for free.)  

This would be a nice benefit but may be unnecessary for everyone.
I'ld be happy if they just made it available to people who request it
(in some electronic form).

> I can assure you that the IEEE
> professionals who work on standards (or at least the project edtior
> who worked on the POSIX standards) earn every cent of their pay.  

The document is very professionally done, I never questioned the
quality of the work.

The editing changes that I mentioned involve things like moving the
rationale and notes to an appendix (which are not officially part of
the standard).  I did not suggest that any content changed after balloting.
-- 
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Alex Blakemore alex@cs.umd.edu   NeXT mail accepted