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At last UK Gov has published its open standards consultation - but it is progress?

We were concerned that Cabinet Office inexplicably formally withdrew the first ever govt definition of an open standard. At last they've published consultation on a new definition.

First off, credit where credit is due. The government is proposing royalty free open standards. Their definition is about as good as it can get.

That's the good news.

The consultation is a model of how consultations should be conducted. So much better than the ill thought through standards survey. Unfortunately it restricts itself to seeking views on the definition of an open standard:

equivocating on which standards should be adopted

offering committee oversight as a substitute for requiring open standards

using "comply or explain" aka "I'll do what I want, thanks" for adoption For the first time ever reference is made to the wider context for open standards in the economy. Which is a good thing. Unfortunately the consultation fails to take the next step and address the systemic role that public sector ICT plays in the economy. Instead, missing a strategic opportunity, it leaves public sector ICT positioned as a departmental purchasing decision.

There's still work to do and we've got plans to contribute constructively.

-- Gerry Gavigan, Chair, 10 February 2011

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written by Terry, 22 March, 2012

Unfortunately, "open" in the world of IT alone can be just as restrictive as a closed model. I'm not convinced the government really understands the idea of open standards or event what open should really mean (or at least prevented from understanding by the mega corporations).

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