We must let industry decide which direction ATM technology will take, and then follow. We should not try to take the lead in establishing an industry-standard ATM protocol. Many remember a decade and a half ago when the Navy took the lead and spent millions of dollars outfitting its ships with Beta format videotape recorders. When VHS became the industry standard, the Navy was left with obsolete technology. We cannot make this same mistake with ATM technology.
Software requirements drive hardware standards.
They are intended to be minimum standards and will no doubt change as technology improves. But the clock is ticking, and the year 2000 is rapidly approaching. There will be sufficient money to implement IT-21, but there will not be enough money to do it twice. It must be done right the first time. At the very least, it will save resources that will more than pay for the technology.