Let H(C) be the group of homeomorphisms of the Cantor set, C, onto itself. Let p: C → M be a map of C onto a compact metric space M, and let G(p, M) be is a group.

The map p: C → M is standard, if for each (x, y) ∈ C × C such that p(x) = p(y), there is a sequence and a sequence such that xn → x and hn (xn) → y Standard maps and their associated groups characterize compact metric spaces in the sense that: Two such spaces, M and N, are homeomorphic if and only if, given p standard from C onto M, there is a standard q from C onto N for which G(p, M) = h−1G(q, N)h, for some h ∈ H(C) The present paper exhibits a structure theorem connecting these characterizing subgroups of H(C) and products of spaces: Let M1 and M2 be compact metric spaces. Then there are standard maps p: C → M1 × M2 and pi: C → Mi, i = 1, 2, such that G(p, M1 × M2) = G(p1, M1) ∩ G(p2, M2).