LCNs and standards: an uneasy future

It is argued that the development, use, and success of local computing networks (LCNs) has relied in large part on the legitimacy bestowed on them by standards and the standardization process. However, as LCNs become more and more complex, and begin to be seen as part of a larger computing scheme, there are certain requirements that will be levied upon them by the standards creation world. These requirements, while appearing light at first, can quickly become onerous if not carefully considered and built into a systematized approach to standards creating. The needs for test, verification, conformance, revision, and possibly certification all should be considered prior to any new LCN standardization undertaking. Finally, the questions of where and how to standardize to achieve the maximum benefit from the standard and what exactly is this maximum benefit are addressed. >