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Story: Microsoft 'must support OpenDocument'
Posted by: Rodd Clarkson (Sunday 9 October 2005, 1:05 PM)
> Doesn't anyone else see the problem with MS including support for OpenDocument? They'll "extend" it has they have every other open format so on paper they'll support it but interoperability will be impossible.
Actually, as part of the licensing of OpenDocument, it expressly forbids extending the format outside of the normal channels.
Any changes to the format would need to be approved by OASIS and would have to be presented to the OpenDocument steering committee to get through.
Any attempt to extend the format in other ways would see the extendee required to stop using the OpenDocument name, since they would no longer be supporting the format. On top of this, while Sun has stated (legally) that they won't pursue anyone over Intellectual Property issues who uses the format the way it was intended, they have also stated that they will vigorously attack any group that tries to abuse the format.
Any attempt by Microsoft to extend this format would see them in court. A case like this would be big news (remember, they'll only support the format because enough governments move to it that they need to) and Microsoft would be publicly embarrassed about trying to break what people would see favorably as a Good Thing(TM) - that is, an standardized format that lets them choose their software.
Full Talkback thread
Story: Microsoft 'must support OpenDocument'
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Mr. Taylor, do you actually know how many customer... Anonymous -
OpenOffice does have an export as PDF functio... Anugraha -
It just floors me how many folks line up in s... Steve Thompson
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What's the population of Massachusetts? Isn't it m... Tomas Marek
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There is a very good text about it here:
http://ww... Anonymous
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Can you imagine any other industry where if s... Richard
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Microsoft is gambling that they can brea... Dan Clayton -
Yet another prediction of Microsoft's defeat. Wasn... Matt S
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Quote:
"The problem is, in its search for a p... Neal Schulz
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"The problem is, in its search for a phi... Matt -
Re Matt: Netscape nearly did harm Microsoft.... Richard
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Most people seem to either hate them or... Anonymous
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Does anybody know what the licensing terms are for... Tavis
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The logic is inescapable: OpenOffice can happily r... Paul Vincent
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Why do you hate Microsoft Office so much? It'... Microsoft Office Fan
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> Why do you hate Microsoft Office so mu... Rodd Clarkson
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Personally, I've been using OOo for... Mitch 74
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What a biased load of crap. Open office is shit. I... Anonymous
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What a biased load of crap. Open office is shit. I... Anonymous
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Doesn't anyone else see the problem with MS includ... Anonymous
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> Doesn't anyone else see the problem with MS... Flash
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> Doesn't anyone else see the problem wi... Rodd Clarkson -
ODF is _not_ "quite new", it is based on StarOffic... Anonymous
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Ad hominem attacks are the hallmark of MS apologis... Olavi Petri
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I disagree. MS Office is used so extensively that... Anonymous
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"MS Office is used so extensively that .doc i... Sean Jodrey
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Do people really believe in 5 years time... Jon
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>There is no more chance of people... Anonymous
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Point is people dont really ca... Jon
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Re: "Do people really believe... Richard
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Now I would not go as far as saying... Clifford
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Standards are not meant to be static. T... Anonymous
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makes sense
i understand your point... Scott W
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%^SJAKDH ASL J^(A^ AOS A) )AS)A(US )(A*S
That's ho... JJ
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Ejaculate on Microsoft! Testy Testerton
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Standards are meant to be fully backward compatibl... Arthur B.
