Standards and trade are linked in a variety of ways: some obvious, some not. The importance of these links will grow over time as global economic competition intensifies. Giving consideration to these issues, especially as the relate to information technology, is appropriate for a conference such as the 6th International Conference on the Application of Standards for Open Systems. In what follows, I describe standards and trade, identify some connections between them, and infer some implications for Open Systems. Please understand that I am no expert in trade, nor do I understand standards, excepting a few related to information technology. Also note that the views that follow do not necessarily represent the views of the U.S. Government.
