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Telecommunications equipment industry

SmartOffice Consortium Aims to Revolutionize Office Machine Interoperability

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

The SmartOffice Consortium, formed by 18 leading information technology companies, has announced its intention to produce an open specification for linking office machines with personal computers and personal communicators. The consortium aims to create a standard architecture, known as SmartLink, which will enable different devices to interoperate seamlessly. This vision, championed by IBM's Robert A. Pascoe, seeks to integrate office equipment into a network, enabling users to share information and access the information they need more efficiently.

Key Takeaways:

  • The SmartOffice Consortium is a collective effort of 18 leading IT companies, including APTi, Canon, Fuji Xerox, and IBM, to develop an open specification for office machine interoperability.
  • The SmartLink Architecture, developed by the consortium, will provide a standard interface for communications and interoperability among devices.
  • The consortium will not produce software to be included in products, instead defining an interface standard that enables conforming products to identify device capabilities.
  • Membership options will be offered, with annual dues still being determined, to accommodate different levels of participation and company involvement.
  • The SmartOffice Vision supports a variety of scenarios, including users monitoring and controlling copiers, printers, and faxes.

Statistics:

  • 18 IT companies have formed the SmartOffice Consortium to develop an open specification for office machine interoperability.
  • The SmartLink Architecture will be made widely available to the industry later this year.
  • Annual dues for membership are still being determined, with at least three tiers of membership expected.
  • The consortium will provide training and documentation for companies implementing the specification.

Sources:

  • Business Wire (March 7, 1995)
  • APTi, Canon, Fuji Xerox, Fujitsu, IBM, ISI, Kodak, Lexmark, Matsushita, Minolta, Mita, Mitsubishi, Muratec, Novell, Ricoh, Sanyo, Sharp, and Toshiba press releases.

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