W3C

• Produces W3C Recommendations on Web protocols
• Managed approach to developments
• Protocols initially developed by
  W3C members
• Decisions made by W3C, informed
  by member &
  public review

IETF

• Produces Internet
  Drafts on Internet protocols
• Bottom-up approach to developments
• Protocols may be developed
  by interested individuals
• "Rough consensus and working
  code"

ISO

• Produces ISO Standards
• Can be slow moving and bureaucratic
• Produce robust standards

Proprietary

• De facto standards
• Often initially appealing (cf PowerPoint, PDF)
• May emerge as
  standards

PNG

HTML

Z39.50

Java

HTML, XML, PNG, …

HTTP

URN
whois++

HTML
extensions

PDF and Java?

Standards