Ecma International is a European standards organisation for standardising information and communication systems. It acquired the name Ecma International in 1994, when the European Computer Manufacturers Association (ECMA) changed its name in order to reflect the international activities of the organisation. The long form of "ECMA" was dropped then and capitalisation changed to reflect this.

ECMA was founded in 1961 to standardise computer systems in Europe. Membership is open to companies that produce, market or develop computer or communication systems in Europe.

Ecma International is currently responsible for several standards, including the following:

• C# Language Specification
• C++/CLI Language Specification
• Common Language Infrastructure (CLI)
• ECMAScript Language Specification
• Eiffel analysis, design and programming Language (See Eiffel programming language)
• Environmental design considerations for electronic products
• Universal 3D File Format

Although Sun Microsystems submitted its Java programming language to ECMA, Sun subsequently withdrew the submission. Thus, ECMA is not responsible for the standardization of Java.

Ecma has also been given the responsibility of steering the first international standards for Holographic Versatile Discs, a next-generation high density storage medium capable of holding hundreds of gigabytes through to several terabytes on a CD-sized disk. Ecma expects to submit a proposed standard to the International Organization for Standardization for ISO approval, around December 2006. ^*

See also

External links

• Ecma International homepage

Standards organizations

ECMA | Ecma International | Ecma International | ECMA | Ecma International | ECMA International | Ecma International | ECMA | ECMA | ECMA