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Posted in Formats, Free/Libre Software, GNOME, GNU/Linux, IBM, Interoperability, Microsoft, Open XML, OpenDocument at 9:51 am by Dr. Roy Schestowitz
“There won’t be anything we won’t say to people to try and convince them that our way is the way to go.”
–Bill Gates
The work done by an industry forum which revolves around HA middleware is interesting. Several companies are interoperating around the LGPL, which is an excellent illustration of the value of free open source code. Here are some of the details from LinuxDevices.
=> an excellent illustration of the value of free open source code | ↺ the details from LinuxDevices
An open industry forum has been created to maintain and promote an open source (LGPL v2.1) implmentation of Service Availability Forum high-availability middleware specifications. Founded by Emerson Network Power (ENP), Ericsson, HP, Nokia Siemens Networks, and Sun Microsystems, the OpenSAF Foundation aims to standardize high-availability middleware for Linux-based carrier-grade systems.
As you can see, no single company is responsible for founding the group. This is very similar to what you find on ODF and very different from OOXML, which is a case of a single company with paid members rallying around it.
=> paid members
One sound of alarm comes from the Don of Free Software Magazine, who reminds us to abstain from touching OOXML because we already have one international standard. It’s called ODF.
=> ↺ we already have one international standard. It’s called ODF
Microsoft proposed a bogus Office file format while an ISO standard already existed. Their shady practices to get their format fast-tracked and approved by ISO didn’t work. But Microsoft is still trying—and I can guarantee, it will keep on trying until it succeeds.
The only possible answer for Microsoft and OOXML is simple: the world already has an office file format. The world doesn’t need nor want a “conversion nightmare”. The world’s ISO-approved Office format already exists: it’s called ODF. Microsoft: deal with it!
A second alarm bell comes from Bob Sutor who correctly suggests that saving document as OOXML is almost an irreversible mistake and the point of no return (at least if repeated en masse).
=> ↺ almost an irreversible mistake and the point of no return
I thought I would point out something that I assume is fairly obvious to most people:
Saving your documents in OOXML format right now is probably about the riskiest thing you can do if you are concerned with long term interoperability.
First, the “official” ECMA OOXML that was submitted to ISO
As it stands, the only FOSS group that actually tactless enough to offer constructive criticism to OOXML is the GNOME Foundation. One could also include various Novell employees and a few others who merely serve Microsoft’s agenda (often because they have to, legally-speaking). █
=> the GNOME Foundation | a few others | because they have to, legally-speaking
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