Now IPC and Cadence again beef up IPC 2581.Mentor refuse to join the IPC 2581 team. Julian responses to Cadence Keinth's comment's about next generation of intelligent data for manufacturing on PCD August issue:

We recently put ODB++ into the context of Mentor’s OpenDoor Program (http://www.mentor.com/company/partner_programs/opendoor/). We’re just getting that kicked off now. OpenDoor is our general partnering program. Even competitors like Zuken, Cadence and DownStream are welcome to partner with us in the context of OpenDoor.

is It really open? The fact is nope! I still don't get the specification yet.

I also added my comment to keinth's paper :

Today, ODB++ is widely accepted by pcb fabs. In assembly side, there are many oems also accept ODB++.  Definitely, Mentor is the leader at every aspects from design to manufacturing, and ODB++ is so matured, I hope industry reconginzes that it's better beginning with ODB++ and evolutes to IPC 2581

I really undstand why Mentor have confidence to keep away to IPC 2581, but I have to say it hurts both Mentor and users. This's not a battle between Microsoft Widows and Linux.

Yanfeng