Massachusetts sticking with 'open' documents

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Microsoft's XML is not open and thats the end of the story: When a company bids for the task of implementing a standard, they do not have the right to demand that the vendor modify the requirements. This is what Microsoft are stamping their foot about.

http://72.14.207.104/search?q=cache:I3OAWmMjWfcJ:www.ccianet.org/papers/CCIA-XML.pdf+ccia-xml&hl=en

Recalling the XML schema example with chefs and recipes, suppose that a cake recipe calls for
?one cup of marzipan.? Both chefs may agree that the recipe contains ?marzipan? in the
ingredients list, and that one cup is required. However, if the American chef understands what
marzipan is and the European chef does not, the European chef will get different results.
Further, if marzipan is an invention of the American chef, and the American chef refuses to tell the European chef how to make it, the European chef will get different results, even though he knows that the recipe is supposed to include one cup of marzipan.

Microsoft?s disclosure of the WordprocessingML and SpreadsheetML schema is inadequate for
interoperability because it omits critical information necessary for full interoperability. While these schema may or may not be complete, there is a fundamental limitation in that some of the items stored in the fields of the schema are Microsoft-proprietary data, and Microsoft has not
disclosed the information necessary for others to interpret and use those data. As a result, we
have a ?marzipan problem? ? no one but Microsoft is able to create and consume the data in
some parts of the schema, making the schema unusable for full interoperability.
Returning to our example, suppose the American chef has a recipe for the world?s best chocolate
cake, and makes it widely available, allowing and even encouraging other chefs to read and
share the recipe. However, the recipe contains marzipan, and the American chef does not tell
anyone how to make marzipan. As a result, even though you have the recipe, and even if you
have the American chef?s permission to use the recipe, you still may not be able to make the
cake correctly"
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Microsoft refuse to offer what the customer has specified. Bye bye, Microsoft.; Posted by: whisperycat Posted on: 01/05/06 You are currently: a Guest | Members login | Terms of Use