National standards

National standards and N Guide - Resources and Review

An international organisation based in Geneva, within which governments and the private sector coordinate global telecom networks and services. The ITU is the leading publisher of telecommunication technology, regulatory and standards information. Information is available in English, French and Spanish.

Free online access to bibliographic information for more than 225,000 approved international and national standards, allowing users to search for title words or document numbers to find out if the standard exists, and if so, where to find it.

Aims to enhance the global competitiveness of US business by promoting and facilitating voluntary consensus standards and conformity assessment systems. Offers access to standards catalogues and other databases.

The US National Information Standards Organization, the leading developer of technical standards for publishers, information services, and libraries. The web site gives information on NISO, contacts for its officers, new standards in development, and the NISO Press Catalog which lists over one hundred standards and other publications.

Information on ISO standard ISO/TC 46/SC 9 and its standardization activities. Includes a list of terms and definitions in ISO standards for the presentation, identification and description of documents, meeting and member information, and selected excerpts from a draft ISO standard (DIS 690
2) on bibliographic references to electronic documents.

An organisation established in April 1990 by the European Commission, the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) and European standards bodies. The EOTC acts as a focal point for conformity assessment issues in Europe but does not itself test or certify products or services.

Information about the UK's national standards laboratory, which holds and maintains the UK reference standards for the basic units of mass, length, time, temperature, luminous intensity, and electrical current, as well as many of the derived units.

BSI was the first national standards body in the world and ensures the views of British industry are represented to European and international standards organisations. Access to the BSI Standards electronic catalogue is available along with information about how standards are developed.

An information service on Europe's providers of testing, calibration, inspection and certification services. Its database provides information on over 2800 European providers of conformity assessment activities and details on over 5000 conformity assessment services.

The aims of the Union are to stimulate and promote international cooperation in physics, to sponsor suitable international meetings and to assist organising committees, to foster the preparation and the publication of abstracts of papers and tables of physical constants, to promote international agreements on other use of symbols, units, nomenclature and standards, to foster free circulation of scientists, and to encourage research and education.

Publishes technical reports on US and International Standards Committee meetings in WAN data communications.

ILI specialise in worldwide standards and specifications from distribution centres in Europe and the US. ILI also publish a range of engineering, technical, and regulatory databases. Free trial access is available to their Standards Infodisk, Metals Infodisk, Eurolaw, EU Infodisk, and Technology Infodisk. Registration is required.

A not
for-profit organisation that supports the development and use of EDI standards in electronic commerce. DISA's primary services are providing operational support for the X12 and UN/EDIFACT standards development process; maintaining and publishing EDI standards; and providing educational seminars, conferences, and related informational services.

Summary of units of measurements used worldwide, with some historical measurements. The units and their explanations can be accessed via category, for example, length, area, volume, mass, density, power, pressure, speed, energy, and force, or via an alphabetical list. There is also a discussion of the UK Imperial system, and metrication in the UK and USA.

Resources including a news service and a legal library offering information on national data protection laws, regulations, standards and practices for businesses around the world concerned about handling trans
border communication. Features an exchange forum for international dialogue on consumer services and privacy protection.

Full text (PDF) of a dissertation which explored and described factors involved in the development of information technology standards, through a case study of Z39.50. The study demonstrates that complex standards development efforts can be investigated sytematically.

The ISO's mission is to promote the development of standardisation and related activities in the world with a view to facilitating the international exchange of goods and services, and to developing cooperation in the spheres of intellectual, scientific, technological and economic activity. ISO's work results in international agreements which are published as International Standards. Available in English and French.

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