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Re: DISA setting barrier to entry way too high...
I missed this discussion and didn't get a previous reply posted due to
some message bounces and some mistakes in using the web interface.
Anyway, I wanted to comment due to some of the concerns as well as a
few outrageous questions.
Doug Anderson attempted to clarify the situation a bit, but I would
like to go further. If you have a problem with the price of the
printed standards, take it up with ANSI ASC X12. DISA is only the
secretariat and follows policies set by X12.
When X12 was established one of the predominant revenue models for
standards bodies was paid dues and selling the published standards.
Other models have evolved, but X12, like ISO and a few other bodies,
haven't changed yet. We recognize that the current model is not
sustainable, and as Doug said, are actively looking at how it can be
changed.
For those of you who seem to think that someone is getting rich
directly off of the X12 standards, you couldn't be further from the
truth. ALL work within X12 is by volunteers. This goes for the
Chair, Vice Chair, and other leaders, who have to spend a considerable
amount of time on X12 activities. Some of these volunteers are self
employed and don't even have the benefit of a regular salary while
doing X12 work. X12 revenue has been down for the past several years
due to declining membership and publication sales. However, costs
(mostly due to the trimester meetings) have not gone done in
proportion. This means X12 has had less money to pay DISA, with the
result that DISA has had to lay off staff and move to less expensive
offices.
*Someone* has to pay for all of the administrative costs associated
with developing and maintaining the standard. The bottom line is that
(unless costs change, which is another matter) if you want to pay less
for the publications, then you're asking for someone else to bear more
of the cost. The only people left are the companies and individuals
who already donate their time and money to develop and maintain the
X12 standards, and you're asking them to pay higher dues and/or
meeting fees.
If you can think of a better way to balance making the standards
freely available and minimizing the burdens on the membership, then
I'm sure the X12 special revenue committee would love to hear from
you. Contact Peter Pruyne, the X12 Vice Chair, at
(blame me - tell him Mike sent you).
Mike Rawlins
Chair, X12 Communications and Controls Subcommittee (all views
expressed are my own)
--------------------------------------------------------------
Michael C. Rawlins, Rawlins EC Consulting
www.rawlinsecconsulting.com
Using XML with Legacy Business Applications (Addison-Wesley, 2003)
www.awprofessional.com/titles/0321154940
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