The information technology industry has a potential future characterized
by universal and affordable access to technologies, free flow of
information through interoperability, and the liberation from dependence
on proprietary
or legacy software. Central to realizing this promise is the concept
of “open standards,” meaning, in part, technology standards
that are documented, available for all to use, and free of charge.
Widespread adoption of this concept by corporations, businesses,
organizations,
and individuals will promote a fair competitive marketplace – thus
allowing all parties to compete equally from the basis of a shared
technology foundation and framework. For the first time in the history
of the industry,
IT infrastructure will be based on open standards rather than closed,
proprietary architectures controlled by a single organization.
We, the Undersigned,
MINDFUL of the desire and commitment of developers throughout the world
to build an open, inclusive information technology (IT) industry, where
everyone can create, access, and share information and knowledge, empowering
individuals, communities, and peoples to realize their full potential
in promoting their sustainable economic development and improving their
quality of life,
CONSCIOUS that open IT, adapted to local, regional, and national requirements,
and universally accessible and affordable, can accelerate the social
and economic progress of countries and the well-being of their citizens,
AWARE that most of today’s IT infrastructure is heterogeneous,
multi-vendor, widely distributed, and increasingly complex and
that it must evolve to a computing model that is open and standards-based;
integrated
across internal business processes and applications and externally
with other enterprises; and virtualized so that distributed computing
resources
can be shared and self-managed,
STRESS that open technology standards are fundamental enablers
of a truly inclusive IT industry and should be promoted by increasing
awareness
among all stakeholders of their value to increase competition, user
access, and diversity of choice, and to enable all users to develop
solutions
that best meet their requirements based on cost, reliability, security,
functionality, and availability,
AFFIRM that open architecture is a powerful instrument for expanding
and improving IT access and that the freedom of choice it represents
is irrefutable, undeniable, and irreversible,
ENCOURAGE research and promote awareness of the opportunities offered
by open standards and the means of their creation, in order
to increase competition, freedom of choice, and affordability,
SOLEMNLY PROCLAIM the necessity of creating, adopting, and
promoting open standards to offer freedom of choice, provide unrestricted
IT
access, ensure fairness and competition, meet end-user demands
for interoperability, create an enabling environment at all levels,
accelerate
the development and dissemination of new IT applications; and enhance
global cooperation.
And to this end
DECLARE that:
1. The ability for all to access and contribute information, ideas,
and knowledge is essential in an inclusive IT industry.
2. Open architecture is central in achieving the goal of IT inclusion,
enabling universal, sustainable, ubiquitous, and affordable IT access
by all.
3. Open standards create more options to address IT needs, generate
new computing models that bring improved integration across
business processes and industries, and give rise to new development
tools that emphasize collaboration and community.
4. All developers have the right to self-determination, and, by virtue
of that right, they have a choice between many possible software solutions
to best satisfy their IT needs
5. The subjection – or “lock-in” – of developers
to single-vendor technology constitutes a denial of self-determination,
is inherently monopolistic, limits choice, artificially raises prices,
stifles innovation, and contradicts the underlying goals
of an inclusive IT industry: freedom of choice and independence for
all.
6. Cooperation among all developers is called for to increase awareness,
adoption, and protection of open standards as an essential building block
of a fair and competitive IT industry.
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