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<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=028075407-13082008><FONT face=Arial
size=4>Dear Nnenna,</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=028075407-13082008><FONT face=Arial
size=4></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=028075407-13082008><FONT face=Arial
size=4>Thanks a lot, I know partly the situation as you described it, but you
also have given new information to me, thank you! </FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=028075407-13082008><FONT face=Arial
size=4></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=028075407-13082008><FONT face=Arial
size=4>Right now the World Blind Union have proposed that credit cards should be
standardised in a way that blind people could differ the sides of them and then
be able to independent use them in ATM-machines etc. </FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=028075407-13082008><FONT face=Arial
size=4></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=028075407-13082008><FONT face=Arial
size=4>The marking of all keyboards with digits,, no 5 should be marked with a
dot, due to ISO standards, so as blind persons easily can use the
keyboard.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=028075407-13082008><FONT face=Arial
size=4></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=028075407-13082008><FONT face=Arial
size=4>Those are just small examples, but much more could be done by ISO, if
they were aware of our daily problems that always must be adjusted due to lack
of standards. This is both expensive and time consuming. </FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=028075407-13082008><FONT face=Arial
size=4></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=028075407-13082008><FONT face=Arial
size=4>Warm regards</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=028075407-13082008><FONT face=Arial
size=4>Kicki </FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV><!-- Converted from text/rtf format -->
<P align=left><SPAN lang=sv><FONT face=Arial size=4>Kicki
Nordström<BR>Synskadades Riksförbund (SRF)</FONT></SPAN> <BR><SPAN lang=sv><FONT
face=Arial size=4>World Blind Union (WBU)<BR>122 88 Enskede<BR>Sweden<BR>Tel:
+46 (0)8 399 000<BR>Fax: +46 (0)8 725 99 20<BR>Cell: +46 (0)70 766 18
19<BR>E-mail: <A
href="mailto:kicki.nordstrom@srfriks.org">kicki.nordstrom@srfriks.org</A>
</FONT></SPAN></P><SPAN lang=sv>
<P><FONT size=4><FONT face=Arial>kicki.nordstrom@telia.com (private)</FONT>
</FONT></P></SPAN>
<DIV> </DIV><BR>
<DIV class=OutlookMessageHeader lang=sv dir=ltr align=left>
<HR tabIndex=-1>
<FONT face=Tahoma size=2><B>Från:</B> Nnenna [mailto:nne75@yahoo.com]
<BR><B>Skickat:</B> den 13 augusti 2008 06:34<BR><B>Till:</B>
governance@lists.cpsr.org<BR><B>Kopia:</B> Board of Directors
Osi<BR><B>Ämne:</B> [governance] ISO standards<BR></FONT><BR></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: verdana,helvetica,sans-serif">
<DIV>Dear Kicki, Anita, all<BR><BR>The ISO has a very complex working
method. At the global level, the Geneva-based office serves as the
Secretariat of the National Bodies. At the National Body level, the
Standards Organisation claims to be serving as a sort of Secretariat on issues
raised by the national Stakeholders.<BR><BR>In the wake of the debate around
OOXML, I joined the National Standards Board of my base country and have been
there for one year now.<BR><BR>Here is one information; only national boards can
effect change within the ISO. And for now, it does not seem to be the
case.<BR>I think the basic issue here is the historical way in ISO has
worked. Since its creation, it has been concerned with standards of
products, which, in many cases have been tangible. <BR><BR>The IEC-
International Electrotechnical Committee is actually the branch of ISO that is
dealing with digital issues. <BR><BR>The internal mechanism of the ISO
itself, committees, expert groups etc is a long and boring one and very
few people are actually committed to it. <BR><BR>Then there is the
'standing' of National Bodies within the ISO itself. Suffice it to say
that proposals that come to ISO goes to technical committees before showing up
on the desks of the national boards. The process from Proposal to a
Standard may take years. For the lack of human resources or whatever other
reason, National Bodies only belong to committees where they have a vested
interest. They may be 'O' or 'P' members. Observing members'
do not really weigh in much but Participating members do. But to be a P
member, you will need a mirror committee at your national level. Given
that time spent on National Standards Boards are not paid, it is almost suicidal
to keep up with the volume of work that is required.<BR><BR><BR>Until the OOXML
issue, there were only 2 African countries that were P members in the Sub
Committee of the Technical Committee that deals with Document formats.
These were Kenya and South Africa. A few others where members but only as
Observers. It meant that in a continent of 53 countries, only 2 had an IT
mirror committee in their National Standards Boards!<BR><BR>We picked up a
campaign sometimes after the 3rd Conference on FOSS the Digital Commons
organised by the Free Software and Open Source Foundation for Africa
(FOSSFA). It was basically to senstise on the need for Open standards..
but the action framework was not even there! So far, Nigeria and Ghana are
the ones appointing an IT officer at teh National Standards body.
Otherwise, we will still remain with issues around petrol, agricultural and
industrial goods.<BR><BR>The advocacy on mainstreaming the issues raised by
physically changed persons within ISO, therefore, is a work that will need to be
done and well done, beginning from the national standards board and moving up to
the ISO itself.<BR><BR>But recently, the working methods of the ISO have come
under great scrutiny and I believe that with time, the methods will be bound to
change.<BR><BR>But for now, the ISO only deals with standards submitters,
experts groups, working groups, technical committees and National
Bodies!<BR></DIV>
<DIV style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: verdana,helvetica,sans-serif"><BR>
<DIV style="FONT-SIZE: 13px; FONT-FAMILY: arial,helvetica,sans-serif">-----
Original Message ----<BR>From: "governance-request@lists.cpsr.org"
<governance-request@lists.cpsr.org><BR>To:
governance@lists.cpsr.org<BR>Sent: Wednesday, August 13, 2008 3:56:53
AM<BR>Subject: governance Digest Tue, 12 Aug 2008
(3/3)<BR><BR></DIV></DIV></DIV><BR></BODY></HTML>