On Thu, 2005-10-27 at 12:01 -0400, Chad Smith wrote: > On 10/27/05, Robin Laing <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > MS makes a "defacto" standard. It is not recognized as a standard. > > It has not been submitted to any standards organization. It is not a > > standard. ODF is being submitted to ISO, the same people that do the > > ISO9000 standardization. > > Defacto standard is really the only one that matters. [...] > if 95% or more of people use a certain thing a certain way, then that's > pretty much standardized.
Microsoft's binary formats can't truly be considered a standard if there is no software-independent way to access the information inside them and full documentation of the format. Sure, we could, in theory, wait for Microsoft to submit their formats as an ISO standard, but frankly, the NHL will play their first season in hell first (and Microsoft can always change the format with the next version as they have done before). We could put up with the status quo of a filter that might read this version of Word, Excel, Powerpoint, etc. documents, but there's no guarantee the next version won't totally break compatibility. I think it's great that someone has reverse-engineered most of the current MSO formats but, really, we shouldn't have to. Having a fully documented, open standard like ODF for productivity software file formats puts the burden on Microsoft (and others) to support standardization with their actions. Any company can sign up to become a member of W3C or OASIS, and do the same thing Microsoft has. To actually support the standards in software is a different matter entirely. To use Microsoft's file formats is to play Microsoft's game. Playing Microsoft's game implies playing by Microsoft's rules and at Microsoft's whims. If Microsoft decides to drop support for older document formats, you're stuck, until and unless someone finds a way to read them anyway. ODF allows one freedom from the Microsoft-controlled rat race. If you don't like ODF, please, feel free to continue trusting Microsoft with your data. Eventually, you will lose the freedom to jump ship thanks to the DMCA. Microsoft only cares that you keep using their products and giving them your money; they really don't care whether or not you can use a competing product. -- Shawn K. Quinn <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> --------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] For additional commands, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
