Open Standards And The Digital Age

How did openness become a foundational value for the networks of the twenty-first century? Open Standards and the Digital Age answers this question through an interdisciplinary history of information networks that pays close attention to the politics of standardization. For much of the twentieth century, information networks such as the monopoly Bell System and the American military's Arpanet were closed systems subject to centralized control. In the 1970s and 1980s however, engineers in the United States and Europe experimented with design strategies to create new digital networks. In the process, they embraced discourses of 'openness' to describe their ideological commitments to entrepreneurship, technological innovation, and participatory democracy. The rhetoric of openness has flourished - for example, in movements for open government, open source software, and open access publishing - but such rhetoric also obscures the ways the Internet and other 'open' systems still depend heavily on hierarchical forms of control.

This book answers how openness became the defining principle of the information age, examining the history of information networks.

Policymakers should proceed with a great deal of caution when considering standards mandates, where procurement policies and other government actions may distort a marketplace filled with competing standards and levels of interoperability. Because there are undeniable trade-offs from any standard-setting decision, governments should: a) be wary of thinking they have sufficient foresight to make proper standard-setting decisions; and b) be deferential to private attempts at standard setting. Varying models of open and closed standards with differing levels of interoperability will emerge and compete, with the market determining winners. There are numerous standards, from the open, non-proprietary TCP/IP standard that forms the basis for the entire packet structure of the Internet, to the relatively more closed and proprietary standards of Apple Computer and its companion the iPod. There are also numerous standards-setting bodies at work in the digital space. No one approach is the right choice, but instead each has strengths and weaknesses, and involves inevitable trade-offs. A key taxonomic distinction also lies between open source and open standards. Open source, which should be considered open and proprietary, is one way to achieve an openness of a sort. But open source should not obscure other attempts to achieve open standards through private ad hoc consortia or formal standard setting bodies. One cannot say with any metaphysical certainty that any one approach is superior. And to be sure, we should leave other parties with the liberty and freedom to work within alternate models - to achieve openness, interoperability and consumer benefits.

Software services are established as a programming concept, but their impact on the overall architecture of enterprise IT and business operations is not well-understood. This has led to problems in deploying SOA, and some disillusionment. The SOA Source Book adds to this a collection of reference material for SOA. It is an invaluable resource for enterprise architects working with SOA.The SOA Source Book will help enterprise architects to use SOA effectively. It explains: What SOA is How to evaluate SOA features in business terms How to model SOA How to use The Open Group Architecture Framework (TOGAF ) for SOA SOA governance This book explains how TOGAF can help to make an Enterprise Architecture. Enterprise Architecture is an approach that can help management to understand this growing complexity.

Establishes a framework of analysis for public policy discussion and debate. Discusses topics such as social practices and political economic discourse.

Archives in the Digital Age: Standards, Policies and Tools discusses semantic web technologies and their increased usage in distributing archival material. The book is a useful manual for archivists and information specialists working in cultural heritage institutions, including archives, libraries, and museums, providing detailed analyses of how metadata and standards are used to manage archival material, and how this material is disseminated through the web using the Internet, the semantic web, and social media technologies. Following an introduction from the author, the book is divided into five sections that explore archival description, digitization, the preservation of archives, the promotion of archival material through social media, and current trends in archival science. Addresses the most important issues within the archival community, covering current trends and the future of archival science Presents an original perspective on the use of social media by archival institutions Provides innovative, interdisciplinary research that incorporates archives and information management Discusses the dissemination of archival material using semantic web technologies

This book examines the massive changes currently taking place in the business world and commonly known under the label “digitalization.” In addition, it describes the significant impacts of technological innovations on processes, products, services and business models. The digital transformation resulting from these developments leads to disruption for many enterprises and industries. While for many years, IT departments mainly concentrated on fulfilling the requirements of business departments effectively and efficiently by means of high-quality IT services and operations, today’s IT departments are increasingly expected to actively co-design and co-create the enterprise. This book describes how information technology enables innovation for businesses, and how IT departments can proactively and in a timely manner collaborate with the business departments of their corporation to leverage these innovations. It also delineates the implications of digitalization for the structures, processes and people in today’s IT departments. IT leaders and managers who are responsible for corporate IT, as well as practice-oriented researchers, will find valuable inspirations and guidance in this book, the central mission of which is to encourage and enable a more proactive role for IT in the digital transformation processes. "This book demonstrates the impact of digital transformation on IT organizations and their management. It also presents potential risks for technology availability, security and data protection. The authors develop a vision of what IT management should look like in ten years if it is to continue playing an important role in the company. The book seeks to motivate IT executives and managers with IT responsibility to actively adapt their thinking and their IT organizations before they are forced to react to external pressure. Definitely worth reading!" Sven Kreimendahl, Director Business Technology Services, Campana & Schott

This volume explores current interventions into the digital labour theory of value, proposing theoretical and empirical work that contributes to our understanding of Marx's labour theory of value, proposes how labour and value are transformed under conditions of virtuality, and employ the theory in order to shed light on specific practices.