OpenDocument gets standards stamp

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I doubt 'wide support' will matter

HTML 'standards' really haven't hurt IE. How will MS paint
themselves into a corner by not adopting this so-called
'standard'? When it comes to sharing documents, how many
times will someone running a 'standards-based' office suite have
to re-send files to those using MS Office before giving up on the
'standard'? XML was supposed to facilitate the resolution of this
whole data sharing issue... didn't MS adopt it's own flavor of
XML for this?

I would LOVE to see MS open its architecture to make things
easier on those of us who need to share non-MS docs with those
who need to use MS apps. But why does it have to when almost
every MS alternative has to play by MS's rules just to be
accepted. I used to do a number of OpenOffice migrations for
clients who wanted a less expensive option to MS Office. Not
one client ever wanted their "save as" to default to the
OpenOffice/StarOffice format... they all wanted to ensure their
files would be compatible with MSO, and OOo/SO make this an
option. I don't believe MSO will open OOo/SO files natively (it
doesn't on my Mac with MSO 2004, nor my PC with MSO 2000).
Even other browsers (Firefox, Safari, and I think Opera) allow you
to configure the browser's user agent to "IE", as many websites
refuse to even serve pages to non-IE users.

It's frustrating to say the least. Think of MS is a 19th century
railroad baron. MS's competitors and other industry leaders
agree to what a standard track width should be, but since MS
has bought virtually all of the rail routes and track, to ride on
MS's rails you have to comply with whatever MS wants. The
other standard is useless if you can't use it to ride everywhere
you could on the MS's rails.

Posted by: ovidtchr   Posted on: 05/24/05 You are currently: a Guest | Members login | Terms of Use

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