An Open Embrace - Why Microworks is embracing Open Standards

by Hugo Breedt

Product Development Manager - Microworks (Pty) Ltd.

posted 16 March 2011

 

In the world of information and communication technology a revolution for open standards is on the rise. The hype of the new concepts of standardization penetrates software vendors - both big and small - to such an extent that it is almost frowned upon not to embrace the philosophy. When exploring the substance of this concept one cannot help wondering if this really is such a new concept, because it is implemented in many fields of engineering.

 

Anyone who has ever travelled abroad will have experienced the frustrations of different standards: electrical plugs and the multitude of required adapters. The United Kingdom, Europe, Northern America, Southern Africa and Asia all work on different standards forcing a round-the-world traveller to amass a broad collection of cross-standard adapters. One can argue a number of reasons for the variations: in the case of electrical plugs, it might be protection from differences in the public electrical infrastructures or the colossal expense - without sufficient cost saving - of moving over to one standard. Due to the non-physical nature of software however, changing to a single standard should be less expensive (may even be profitable!) and easier. So, why is it only now that open standards are embraced?

 

Closed standards are often essential for a business strategy of global players. Take for example Microsoft Office: everybody has received doc (Word), xls (Excel) and ppt (PowerPoint) files in their mailboxes. These are closed file formats: the specifications describing these file types are only available to Microsoft. Therefore upon receiving such a file, one has to buy the product to view it. A similar strategy can be seen by a few of the global players:

 

• Apple’s iTunes format plays only on Apple’s software and devices

• Windows Media Audio (wma) plays only on Windows Media Player

• The Skype protocol is only available to Skype closing off their network to other Voice-over-IP providers.

 

Why then embrace it? Using open standards enable collaboration with other companies of different specialization. If everyone communicates and exchanges information using a common language, integration would be quicker, easier and cheaper. The internet emerged from the power of using open standards. The protocols (rules of communication) used by the internet, TCP and IP are open standards. That is, they comply with the principles¹ defined by Bruce Perens, the renowned Open Source advocate:

 

• The protocol specifications are easy to obtain and available to all to read and implement.

• The protocol does not favor a specific vendor, market or market segment. It furthermore does not leave room for one implementer of the specification to gain favor over another.

• It can be used royalty-free.

   

Since everyone could join in, the internet grew at a radical pace changing the world.

In such a changing world all want the freedom to change – in fact it becomes essential. Changing service providers, processes, tools and methodologies all are done more often than ever. By embracing open standards that freedom is here.

 

 

 

About the Contributor

Microworks (Pty) Limited is a leading specialist debt solution company in the Republic of South Africa. We deliver integrated consulting and debt collection software solutions to hundreds of companies across various industry sectors such as finance, education, healthcare, third-party collection, government and many more. We work with organizations to develop solutions and continually create innovative means to improve collection performance and enhance our customers' profitability.

Mr Hugo Breedt is the Development Manager at Microworks.

 

1 Not all principles are listed here. Perens' proper definition can be found on his website (http://www.perens.com/).