California Demanding Open Document Standard - Microsoft Resists
California Demanding Open Document Standard - Microsoft Resists
by , 3:20 PM EST, March 5th, 2007
California has introduced a bill that would make the Open Document Format (ODF) a mandatory requirement for its state agencies when procuring software. This is putting heat on Microsoft which is promoting its own OOXML standard, according to a report in ITWire Monday.
"The new bill, introduced by Californian Democrat Mark Leno, does not name ODF specifically but has stipulated that by 2008 agencies must be equipped to store and exchange documents in an open, XML-based format. Although the name of Microsoft's Office Open XML [OOXML] suggests that it would match the requirement, it is in fact a proprietary format that would fail the open standards test," ITWire reported.
The Open Document Format is recognized as an ISO standard and can be implemented by any vendor. However, Microsoft has been promoting its own variation, called OOXML, and that has generated some debate in the industry.
Meanwhile, TMO notes, the ODF alliance has argued that as important government documents move from paper to electronic format, they must be in a form that is universally readable and will migrate well into the future.
Previously, Minnesota and Texas have also proposed an open XML standard for government documents. The Minnesota bill proposed a file format that is "interoperable among diverse internal and external platforms and applications; fully published and available royalty-free; implemented by multiple vendors; and controlled by an open industry organization with a well-defined inclusive process for evolution of the standard."
As every computer user knows, Mac or PC, migrating their old documents, created by previous versions of their software, into the the future and keeping them readable is a continual problem. Governments are also starting to put their foot down and insure that all public documents remain readable for all time by all users by complying with the kinds of standard that the Minnesota legislature has defined above.
Observer Comments
Mon Mar 05, 2007 5:58 pm Subject: Is Pages Compatible?
Mon Mar 05, 2007 6:56 pm Subject: Another problem
QuoteJohn wrote:
As every computer user knows, Mac or PC, migrating their old documents, created by previous versions of their software, into the the future and keeping them readable is a continual problem. Governments are also starting to put their foot down and insure that all public documents remain readable for all time by all users by complying with the kinds of standard that the Minnesota legislature has defined above.
For a government, another problem would be allowing access by people who have older systems. As a simple example, I'm the treasurer for our county 4-H leaders association. I keep a detailed database with QuickBooks 6/Mac. The accountant who keeps our "official" books (they handle the bank accounts, as well) uses a later version of QuickBooks for Windows. I can't open their file without buying not only the latest version of QuickBooks but Tiger, as well. A government policy that forces users to purchase expensive new software would not be a good idea.
It also depends upon what the user is supposed to DO with the government document. If they are just going to read it and, perhaps, search in it, PDFs will do just fine. If they need to fill out forms, PDFs can be built for that. If they need to edit documents or use numerical data, then some ODF document would be called for.
Edited to correct the author citation. Sorry, Vern!
Now that is good news! Good to see that even US states are stopping the abusive tactics of Microsoft!
Everyone who has tried to build a website knows how much trouble MS' "standards" are giving us. All other major browsers follow open, common standards, but for IE. That is the result of Gates desire to crush competition and "set standards". That was what he often repeated in the early years, over and over again, and as we see now, they haven't changed their ways much.
If only more states, nations and institutions would see that it would benefit us all to stop the near-monopoly, then we might also see an end to such stupidity as the fight between Blu-Ray and whatever that other was, some acronym.
Competition should not be based on such things as standards. They should be open and universal.
Mon Mar 05, 2007 8:01 pm Subject: Re: Another problem
QuoteVern wrote:
As every computer user knows, Mac or PC, migrating their old documents, created by previous versions of their software, into the the future and keeping them readable is a continual problem. Governments are also starting to put their foot down and insure that all public documents remain readable for all time by all users by complying with the kinds of standard that the Minnesota legislature has defined above.
I never said (wrote) that.
Vern Seward
QuoteVSeward wrote:QuoteVern wrote:
As every computer user knows, Mac or PC, migrating their old documents, created by previous versions of their software, into the the future and keeping them readable is a continual problem. Governments are also starting to put their foot down and insure that all public documents remain readable for all time by all users by complying with the kinds of standard that the Minnesota legislature has defined above.
I never said (wrote) that.
Vern Seward
Right you are. Sorry, Vern. I'll go back and edit the message to show that John wrote it. I guess that I had just finished reading your comment just above and got confused--or, perhaps, it's rampant Oldtimer's disease.
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