What Does ISO Stand for on a Computer?

Compact disc

Computer terminology is full of acronyms: RAM, CPU, ISO, CD-ROM, DVD and dozens of others. ISO is one that has several applications, but all are related to the organization the acronym stands for.

ISO

ISO, in nearly all cases, refers first of all to an organization, the International Organization for Standardization.

Purpose of the ISO

The ISO develops and publishes international standards to be used by industry in everything from file formats to the measurement used for a photographic film's sensitivity to light, which is known as the ISO 5800:1987 standard.

ISO on a Computer

Most likely, if you hear the acronym ISO used in a computing context, this is referring to the ISO 9660 standard. This standard describes the file system for CD-ROMs and CD-ROM images.

CD-ROM Images

An image of a CD-ROM is a file on a computer that stores all the data on a CD onto the computer's hard drive. Usually, this file will have the extension ISO.

ECMA-119

ISO 9660 can also be referred to, though much less commonly, as ECMA-119.

References

• ISO
• ISO 5800:1987
• ISO 9660:1988