On Thursday 13 March 2008 12:53, david merriman wrote: > There's a couple of articles in the latest Computerworld NZ magazine, > where Brett Roberts from Microsoft and Don Christie from NZOSS discuss > the OOXML document format. > > Brett Roberts, for OOXML: http://tinyurl.com/2uxebu > Don Christie, against OOXML: http://tinyurl.com/2sxpt3 > > The articles themselves are interesting, but what I found fascinating > was the difference in writing styles between the two protagonists > (assuming they wrote the responses themselves). Brett Roberts used > rather more vague, PR-style prose: > > "The OOXML specification empowers developers to create a host of new > innovations for customers." > > whereas Don Christie was more straight-forward in his responses: > > "[If OOXML is rejected as a global standard, what will it mean for > businesses and the public?] Nothing much." > > I guess it points to the different backgrounds and environments the two > come from. Brett probably came from a marketing background, and Don > probably was (or still is) a programmer or some such. I could be (read: > probably am) wrong.
From discussing OOXML (amongst other matters) with the likes of Brian Jones and Jason Matusow, this vague PR-speak seems to be the default amongst 'Softies, except when there is a serious technical issue, when they become as down-to-earth and straightforward as one could wish. (Mind you, when IBM broke up with Microsoft in the early nineties and brought IBM OS/2 on its ownsome, when I tried to discuss OS/2 with them, I found their language was also vague and unconvincing. I think its endemic with big companies.) When you're not speaking to people and to one's superiors at one and the same time, you can just speak. Just my 0.02c Wesley Parish > > I thought it was interesting, anyway :) > > David -- Clinersterton beademung, with all of love - RIP James Blish ----- Gaul is quartered into three halves. Things which are impossible are equal to each other. Guerrilla warfare means up to their monkey tricks. Extracts from "Schoolboy Howlers" - the collective wisdom of the foolish. ----- Mau e ki, he aha te mea nui? You ask, what is the most important thing? Maku e ki, he tangata, he tangata, he tangata. I reply, it is people, it is people, it is people.
