With today's rapid developments in digital technologies, technical obsolescence can occur much faster than in the past. Who would have predicted five years ago that Adobe's Flash would have seen the rapid decline it has experienced as a development environment? Using open, internationally accepted standards for materials development is no absolute guarantee of longevity, but it does increase the likelihood that content will continue to be usable and that, if needed, conversion tools will be available. In this column I will be discussing approaches to the development of electronically delivered language learning materials that I believe are the least likely to face short-term obsolescence. I will be arguing in favor of multilaterally developed, open standards, supported by major industry players and educational standards bodies. Specifically, I will be looking at approaches for delivering learning materials through Web browsers or e-book readers (e-readers), so that created content works seamlessly across devices and platforms