Mass. warms to Microsoft Office standard

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How did the MA officials know...

... what "THE PEOPLE" wanted? They certainly didn't ask them. They invited in a group of Microsoft's business competitors and philosophical antagonists to help create criteria Microsoft couldn't meet
Well, okay, they included a few Microsoft representatives for window dressing and to hear mockery like the official naming his mother as the sort of person Microsoft would pick as users to advise them.

And when "THE PEOPLE" heard about what the few officials decided to do, they protested vigorously.
The Halloween meeting was a public performance of what probably involved a lot of behind-the-scenes actions. Aside from the representatives of the disabled, the head of records for MA, Mr. Coles, was there to say that he already had what he thought a reasonable solution, and his concerns were not being met satisfactorily.

And "THE PEOPLE" are not all the citizens of the State, who are not exactly waiting for the latest pronouncement on what record formats the branches of State government and in particular State employees are using.

Those "PEOPLE", the users, were not consulted by the few MA officials. They attended a conference on open source to be with their real constituency instead.
Do you think the users are strongly advocating the loss of Office?

Microsoft made its changes because it was good business, particularly with developers. That they also gave Governor Romney an out, a way to rescue the executive branch officials who made this blunder, is probably more coincidence than magnanimity.


As for my views, I would like to be a libertarian, except that I'm too realistic to think the rich can be trusted without a counterpoise. And that the poor need an advocate and a disinterested helper of last resort.

Because government is needed, people like these MA officials get the chance to impose their views dictatorially. When government works, they're prevented from harming people with their malign attitudes.

Posted by: Anton Philidor   Posted on: 11/28/05 You are currently: a Guest | Members login | Terms of Use

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