Everett said: > > Several of other developers of the most popular genealogy software > > programs were invited to participate. None accepted. > >There are anti-trust ramifications to participating in standarization >activities unless the activities are done under the auspices o a >recognized standards organization and follow proper procedures. >Just try to get IBM to participate in an ad hoc meeting. None of those vendors voiced any such objection or proposed an alternative strategy or overseeing body for developing the specification. If they responded at all, they simply said that they weren't interested. Keep in mind that genealogy software companies are typically very small and even the biggest ones have one principal developer. In most cases, that developer is also the public face of the company at national conferences. We're not talking IBM here. > > They were invited to attend planning meetings. None accepted. > >Who was underwriting the costs of attending these meetings? It >gets expensive and time-consumng attending a lot of meetings at >various sites. We met at the national society conferences (NGS and FGS) where those developers were always already present - and by email. >What was done to publicize these releases and solicit comments? Feedback from the public was solicited through Dick Eastman's newsletter, the NGS newsletter, and others. Participation and feedback from the vendors in question was solicited by every conceivable method, including face-to-face. In some cases, the question was, "Would you go across the street from the exhibit hall for a meeting tomorrow at 4pm and tell us what you think?" and the answer was "No, thanks." Whatever their excuses for not participating in the committee, I think it is safe to say that they (and newer developers that have come up since then) could have found time within the last 10 years to offer some feedback about the published document if they had the slightest interest in the subject matter. Bob Velke Wholly Genes, Inc. -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.503 / Virus Database: 269.15.32/1131 - Release Date: 11/14/2007 4:54 PM