Data transmission standards and interfaces
John L. Moughton · Institution of Engineering and Technology eBooks · 1994
Standardisation is an essential aspect of data communications, as indeed it is of all communications. Communication between two people or pieces of equipment can succeed only if both parties obey an agreed set of rules. Whilst it is possible for a set of rules to be developed privately between the two parties and result in successful communication this is of no use if either party subsequently wishes to communicate with a third. It is clearly more useful if they follow a set of rules agreed by a larger population (a "standardised" set).