This is an interesting, detailed and (slightly) opinionated piece about web standards. It's part four of the series Effective Standards Work. In practice, writes Alex Russell, "(Standards-body) Working Groups do not invent the future, nor do they hand down revealed truths by divining entrails like prophets of the House of Iamus. In practice, they are diligent, thoughtful historians of recent design expeditions." That's why you'll se me often refer to 'specifications' or 'protocols' or perhaps 'proposals' (if they're being considered by a standards body). There's a lot that happens before something becomes a standard - a lot of discussion debates, prototypes and playing out. Finally, it gets to the standards stage, which is, as Russell says, "all about patents. Standards Development Organisations are, practically speaking, IPR clearing houses." Readers interested in this topic will probably have already consulted the W3C's Web Standards documentation.
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