[odf-discuss] OOo OOXML filters

[Lars D. Noodén]

On Mon, 11 Dec 2006, Alex Hudson wrote:
[snip]
> If OpenOffice.org opens an OXML and doesn't get it quite right, yes, a
> user might blame the application. I don't see what that has to do with
> OpenDocument, nor do I see why that is a worse situation than
> OpenOffice.org refusing to read the file at all.

To paraphrase (hopefully accurately enough) Marco's links, it's time to 
refuse proprietary formats, or formats that for any reason can be 
practically used only with one software program.  That's MOOX all over. 
Anyway, that route has been tried enough times that everyone knows where 
it leads:

 	"I once preached peaceful coexistence with Windows. You may
 	laugh at my expense - I deserve it."  Jean-Louis Gassée, CEO Be
 	- http://www.birdhouse.org/beos/byte/30-bootloader/

That's regarding the bootloader, but the file format for office suites is 
subject to similar abuse.  If OOo or other office packages were tuned to 
"save as MOOX" by default:

* employees and managers would see no use for ODF since that would 
cultivate the belief that most MOOX documents could be mostly read most of 
the time.

* additional government requirements for open standards would be easier to 
obstruct, stop or ignore, since the *appearance* of moving towards a 
universal file format is being made.  Not that it MOOX will get beyond 
appearances in that regard.

-Lars
Lars Noodén
 	Ensure access to your data in the future
 	http://opendocumentfellowship.org/about_us/contribute