British and international standards have been in the four front of ensuring the smooth integration of magnetic and optical data recording devices throughout the World thus helping to drive the ever increasing IT revolution since world war two. With the development of the Colossus electronic computer developed by the British scientists and use at Bletchley Park to crack Axis secret communications, Colossus used thermionic valves and punched paper tape for data input. Unlike the magnetic and optical devices of today.

The British Standards institute (BSI) are an integral partner of the International Standards Organization (ISO) and has contributed significantly to the standardization of data storage products. BSI have hosted many working groups at their headquarters in London and have chaired these ISO meetings to standardize Magnetic and Optical data storage devices. These working groups are attend by many nations standards organizations including the Chinese who are very active. During a particular meeting In Beijing, where Tony Pitter was writing a standard for Magneto Optical 5 1/4” optical disks, he observed that the Chinese had gone to great lengths to make the delegates welcome and ensured their stay over the 7 day meetings were very comfortable and entertaining with part of the meetings on a cruise ship for three day on the Yangtze river.

Tony Pitter of Data Recovery Specialists says "I noted that although it was customary to have two delegates from each country represented at these meetings there were many Chinese observers. When I informally asked over cocktails during the closing ceremony why the Chinese were so hospitable and had taken so much care to make the meeting a success, I was told that the Chinese picking the brains of the most knowledgeable people in the data storage establishments world wide and intend to be the world leaders for these products. By the turn oi the millennium, the Chinese were leading the World in magneto optical technology".

Data Recovery Specialists have a close relationship with BSI and ISO working groups covering a 25 year period. In particular, Tony has chaired a number of these working groups.