Open systems offer a building block approach to software development through standards that provide a foundation for reuse, interoperability, and evolution. This groundbreaking resource offers professionals valuable insight into building open systems and using the appropriate standards for their software development projects. Numerous books have been published that describe individual computer standards, but Open Systems and Standards for Software Product Development is the first book that provides professionals with a framework for understanding groups of standards and how they relate. This unique book offers comprehensive coverage of standards terminology, the history of standards, the services standards support, and the organizations that define standards. Moreover, this unique resource describes five major trends that guarantee the future for open systems.