Internet testing service supports standards compliance

Government agencies can now test websites for complaince with geo-spatial web standards.

A standards testing service, Conform-IT, now allows Government agencies and companies to test web sites for interoperability standards conformance. The aim of the service is to support and drive open standards compliance in the internet industry.

The service has been developed by web company Social Change Online, with the support of a grant from the Commonwealth Government's Test-It program through the Department of Communications Information Technology and the Arts.

Social Change Online CEO Sean Kidney said:

"We know when we buy an electrical appliance that we can plug it in to the wall and it will work because of standards: plug type, voltage etc. The building industry, for example, would collapse without standards".

"The same can't be said for software. We still buy software packages or access data via the web and cross fingers, hold breath hoping that things will be compatible with our own systems."

The National Office of the Information Economy states in Architectural Principle 6, ICT Framework: "ICT Solutions must, wherever possible, use commercially viable standards-based technologies ... priority should be given to products adhering to industry standards and open architecture".

"We're entering an era of distributed systems with data sources being maintained by different agencies and companies" according to Mr Kidney.

"It's becoming increasingly important for both users and vendors to be confident that the interfaces to these systems comply with accepted open standards. This new service helps developers, vendors and users test for that important standards conformance."

Social Change Online is a major internet services and software developer specialising in community and government projects. Since 1997 Social Change Online has been the technology partner with Australian and US Government agencies in developing standards for the publishing of geo-spatial information on the internet.

For more information contact Sean Kidney on +61 (0)416 235 595