Dynaverse.net
Off Topic => Engineering => Topic started by: Nemesis on March 05, 2006, 06:45:47 pm
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Link to site (http://www.odfalliance.org/default.asp)
Press Inquiries:
Jim Hock
202-587-4782 -- Jim.Hock@463.com
Alliance Formed to Promote Improved Access to
and Retrieval of Electronic Government Documents
ODF Alliance includes diverse industry partners, associations,
NGOs and academic/research institutions
(Washington DC -- March 3, 2006) As documents and services are increasingly transformed from paper to electronic form, there is growing recognition that governments and their constituents may not be able to access, retrieve and use critical records, information and documents in the future. A broad cross-section of associations, academic institutions, industry and related groups today joined together to form the OpenDocument Format Alliance (ODF Alliance), an organization dedicated to promoting open solutions to this problem.
What is ODF? (Link to FAQ (http://www.odfalliance.org/faq.asp) for the alliance)
What is OpenDocument Format?
The OpenDocument format (ODF) is an open XML-based document file format for saving and exchanging editable office documents (including memos, reports, and books), spreadsheets, charts, and presentations. OpenDocument was developed as an application-independent file format by OASIS (Organization for the Advancement of Structured Information Standards), a vendor-neutral standards organization. OASIS submitted the OpenDocument Format specification to the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) on 30 September 2005 for ratification. This process is presently ongoing.
The ODF specification is advanced by OASIS, and is a genuine vendor-neutral, open standard specification. It is available for implementation and use free of any licensing, royalty payments, or other restrictions. ODF has been an approved OASIS standard since May 2005, and has been implemented by multiple vendors in a variety of products. Further, the ODF specification is available for use by any developer, including proprietary software vendors as well as open source developers.
I am not connected with the ODF Alliance I merely like where they are going.
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Yeah it is a good direction to go toward, Microsoft is trying to beat them to the punch with their next Office release. As the files will be open source. Figures... ::)
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Yeah it is a good direction to go toward, Microsoft is trying to beat them to the punch with their next Office release. As the files will be open source. Figures... ::)
A partially open format. Microsoft is using a "standards" organization (ECMA) that is reputed to rubber stamp their submitters proposals. Microsoft is not allowing anyone else to review/revise the "standard". The "standard" has openings in it that are not going to be specified. Open Source programs (like Open Office.org) can't use Microsofts proposed "standard". No guarantee from Microsoft that future revisions they make will be public. There was also a limitation (perhaps since removed) in Microsofts license limiting it to open and read (not edit or create) government documents (not corporate or personal). Microsofts commitment not to sue you for implementing their standard only applies if you implement it 100% - no extensions, modifications or subsets.
ODF on the other hand was developed by an open body (OASIS). Members were responsible for finding faults and suggesting improvements. Microsoft was a member of OASIS and could have taken part to any degree that they chose. They were involved in ODFs development so if they had problems with it they had adequate time to object to flaws from their perspective.
Finally the standard won't be ready by Massachusetts date for adoption. Why should Massachusetts wait while Microsoft creates a new standard instead of adopting one that is currently out there and being adopted by several makers of office software?
Office is one of Microsofts 2 big money makers (Windows is the other). Where Microsoft makes their money is on upgrades to maintain compatibility. Upgrades that change the file format and require substantial efforts to update all existing files that may be needed in the future under future versions of MS-Office. Microsofts business model requires the format to change constantly to make you continually pay them for new versions.
You might like to read this long article (http://news.zdnet.com/2100-3513_22-5893208.html?tag=st.num) on Massachusetts adoption of ODF and Microsofts part in it.
From the article:
Quinn also addressed accusations that Massachusetts' decision to exclude Microsoft's file formats are in someway connected to the antitrust litigation that took place between the two and that the standard was designed to manipulate the state's procurement process in a way that prevents the purchase of Microsoft Office. "We picked an open standard which has nothing to do with any vendor whatsoever. We're not trying to climb into bed with any single vendor and this is not about procurement," Quinn told me. "We had [Microsoft] in and we let them know what our thinking was. In late July, we told them that we're going to be adopting the OASIS standard and asked them for their support. We've had many constructive conversations with Microsoft. But it's their choice [not to support the standard] we picked. We're not trying to lock them out."
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Yeah it is a good direction to go toward, Microsoft is trying to beat them to the punch with their next Office release. As the files will be open source. Figures... ::)
A bit of an add on.
The DOJ about 5 years ago ordered Microsoft to document certain Windows features. The DOJ is complaining that Microsoft still has not produced usable documentation.
The EU has made similar orders and according to an expert chosen from a list provided by Microsoft they are over due and have not produced usable documentation. Microsoft is now facing a potential $2.4 million a day fine until the documentation is made available.
Given these failures why should we believe that Microsoft has the ability to produce a usable standard for file formats? They have less than a year now before Massachusetts plans to adopt the ODF open standard.
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I think these folks are just plain evil and anti-business.
Disclaimer: My firm Phil Giarrizzo Campaign Consulting is paid by Advanced Technology Leadership (ATL)
<tongue in cheek>
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I think these folks are just plain evil and anti-business.
Disclaimer: My firm Phil Giarrizzo Campaign Consulting is paid by Advanced Technology Leadership (ATL)
<tongue in cheek>
Stop drinking that Microsoft Koolaid.
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My favorite open document formats:
.txt, .csv, .html... no limits in editing, no alliance necessary! ;D
.pdf, .rtf, .doc, .xml... its all for the birds, totally bogus crap if you ask me.
I want my only portability issue to be line endings (CR LF vs LF) which is pretty easily fixed.
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Link to full article (http://www.itwire.com.au/content/view/2198/53/)
Noted IT industry analyst, Dr Kevin McIsaac, predicts that MIcrosoft Office will give way to open source products as governments and other large organisations move to open standards for storing documents.
According to Dr McIsaac, the US state of Massachusetts' policy that by 2007 all Executive Department documents must be stored in Open Document Format (ODF) or PDF is a significant milestone in the migration from proprietary systems to open standards.
I don't recognize this fellow and don't know what his motivation is for this declaration so I will take it with a little grain of salt until the background is more clear but thought it interesting enough to add to this topic.