Chad Smith wrote:
On 9/23/05, Gary Edwards <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
Let the OOo
downloads begin! Brace the mirrors! Prepare the community user lists
for action!
Yeah, right, okay. It's one state. And it's not like it is everybody in the
state - it's just people doing business with the state. So, maybe a couple
thousand downloads over the next year and a half? I don't think we need to
worry about being slashdotted. We will barely notice a blip.
--
- Chad Smith
Hi Chad,
I guess that explains why Microsoft has pulled out all the stops and is
threatening Massachusetts with law suits. If you had taken the time to
listen to the recording of the final public session, you might have
heard the Microsoft representatives indirectly threaten Peter Quinn and
Eric Kriss, when they said Microsoft was in discussions with State
Senators and Representatives. Maybe you missed Microsoft's push on the
Governor of Massachusetts? Maybe you've missed the all out FUD attack
Microsoft has launched against the OpenDoc, Sun, and IBM? Maybe you
should explain to Chairman Bill that these events don't amount to a hill
of beans and his sweating is all for nothing? Sure would make life
easier for everyone else if he agreed with you Chad.
Seriously, there's a lot more going on here than you seem to realize.
It's not worth my time to explain things to you, but here's a copy of a
recent exchange i had with Eduardo Gutentag, head of Sun's Standards
Group, and current OASIS Chairman of the Board:
Hi Eduardo,
Thanks for responding. Your explanation makes sense, but the shills and
lackeys are off and running wild with this new discovery that “Sun has
secret patents on ODF”. Yes, they went full throttle, zero to sixty in
under four seconds.
By next week this latest conspiracy theory will likely go the way of
other myths that got some noise, and then into a vast echo chamber that
otherwise intelligent people reference in shamelessly self serving ways
to justify the next conspiracy theory. I can hear the deafening refrain
now, "There were so many reports that Sun had patents on ODF and that
it's not really open, that you have to stop and think".
I wrote a response to Brian Jones, and sent it to PJ for review. But
the truth is, today is the first time i ever had to think through the
licensing issues. The interesting thing is that it's easy to circle
false arguments, and set them spinning, even without having a clue as to
what i'm talking about :) At the end of the day they will become the
fateful victims of their own wishful and self serving exuberance. Such
is life when you have no sense of integrity, trust and truth. And don't
understand that when push comes to shove, trust and truth are the only
things that matter. Push came to shove in Massachusetts, and everyone
got to see, up close and personal, who they really are. Not a pretty
sight. +1 Open Standards. +1 Open Source. Transparency rules.
Your arguments though have the truth of being there. Would you mind if
PJ published your comments? I know that's asking a lot, especially
since there's far more at stake than needing to respond to the lies and
deceits of the MS Office 12 gang. But your response is clean, clear,
and to the point. Groklaw does have one loud and booming voice. And PJ
is the kind of do gooder who doesn't like FUD. She usually does an
excellent job of exposing and slamming away lies, deceits and distortions.
There is the distinct probability that things will get worse. I for one
am quite surprised by the heavy handed, uncompromising take no prisoners
ferocity Microsoft has shown regarding the Massachusetts decision. ODF
though is a silver bullet, and the shot Eric Kriss and Peter Quinn took
at all proprietary, platform and application bound file formats found
it's mark. Finally.
The day before the final decision was made, i had a chance to speak at
length with Peter Quinn. They were hoping against hope that Microsoft
would respect their decision and make the necessary accommodations to
provide OpenDocument files. Sadly it was not to be, but for sure
Microsoft was given every consideration. Deserved or not.
Peter did ask if i would participate in his panel discussion session at
the upcoming NACIO conference in San Diego. They expect excellent
attendance from every state. He's trying to get someone from Microsoft,
but so far they are refusing to participate. So i asked him if it would
be okay if showed up with a few hundred OpenOffice.org CD's to pass out.
He told me i would need more than that :) Apparently the line behind
Massachusetts is both long and ready.
I also asked if he and Eric would kindly autograph my copy of the OASIS
OpenDocument v 1.0 specification. He said of course, but then asked if i
could get him a copy autographed by all the engineers and TC members who
worked on OpenDocument. That would be a very nice thing to do Eduardo,
but could Sun help me put something like that together?
Thanks for setting things straight,
~ge~
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