The Dublin Core Metadata Initiative [DCMI], as a community, has collaboratively developed 'standards' for twenty years. DCMI recommendations have become 'international standards' by being adopted, for example by the United States' National Information Standards Organization [NISO], and then by promotion by them to the International Standards Organization, [ISO/IEC JTC1]. This has led to wider implementation on one dimension, formally, still shepherded by the DCMI. Different dimensions have emerged from significant developments within other entities and communities, such as the World Wide Web Consortium [W3C], etc. The deliberately open nature of DCMI work has meant that people with no known connection to DCMI can nevertheless take advantage of the DCMI work. Further, it asserts that 'DC Metadata' is, as a result of work done by outsiders, in fact thriving in the global environment.