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<< ECMA-119 File Structur of CDROM | TOC - Scope and field of application >>
<< ECMA-119 File Structur of CDROM | TOC - Scope and field of application >>

Brief History

Brief History
In the past years compact disks originally developed for recording music have also been used for recording data as they allow
recording of large amounts of information in a reliable and economic manner. As a read-only medium they are particularly
suitable for use in applications such as auditing and legal documents. It appeared very quickly that there is an urgent need for a
stable standard for the structure of such compact disks and of the files recorded thereon.
In October 1985 a number of industrial and software companies in the USA invited experts to participate in the development
of a working paper for such a project. The result of this work, in which also expert members of ECMA/TC15 as well as from
Japan participated, was a report dated May 1986 and known as the "High Sierra Group" proposal.
This proposal was submitted in Europe to ECMA for their consideration. ECMA TC15, in collaboration with experts from
user organizations, invested a considerable amount of work into this proposal in order to clarify and complete its technical
contents and to re-edit it in a form suitable for an Standard. Particular attention was given to conformance aspects by applying
the same editing principles as for the other standards for labelling, such as ECMA-13 (ISO 1001) and ECMA-107 (ISO 9293).
As a result Standard ECMA-119 was issued in December 1986.
This ECMA Standard was submitted by ECMA to ISO for processing as an International Standard under the ISO fast-track
procedure, which resulted in International Standard ISO 9660 in which a number of improvements and editorial amendments
were introduced. This 2
nd
Edition of Standard ECMA-119 is technically identical with ISO 9660.
Adopted as 2
nd
Edition of Standard ECMA-119 by the General Assembly of 10
th
December 1987.