[odf-discuss] Debate or summary of MOOX vs ODF ?

[Alex Hudson]

Lars D. Noodén wrote:
> MS' attempt to raise its peculiar VML from the grave in MOOX ought to
> be noted in the comparison.  I'm quite unfamiliar with the decision by
> the W3C to go with SVG over VML, but it is probably documented.

It is, and the documented history appears to disagree with Rob Weir -
the W3C didn't go with SVG over VML:

    http://www.w3.org/Submission/1998/08/Comment.html

VML and PGML were the two submissions, SVG was the result of the
workgroup that was setup and combined the ideas.

As far as I know, VML isn't really intended to compete with SVG - they
serve very different roles. VML is a much small, simpler specification
(note the SVG isn't fully imported into OpenDocument; ODF uses a
cut-down custom version of SVG afaik).

Microsoft have been using VML since before SVG was standardised (it's
still in Internet Explorer) and it's been in Microsoft Office since the
90s - I don't think it's strange, therefore, that they've included it.
Given the difficulty people have had implementing SVG in general (not
just as part of ODF), it's arguably a very sensible decision that they
didn't touch it, actually.

> What is the timeline for ODF 1.2?  Is there a URL with an overview of
> the changes regarding metadata (specifically DC) ?

1.2 is vapourware for now. I don't know whether this is still completely
accurate:

    http://www.oasis-open.org/archives/office/200604/msg00022.html

... but it's pretty close to the mark afaik (v1.1 is roughly on time).
According to that, the first draft would appear middle of next year and
it would reach standard status in late 2007/early 2008, depending on how
well things go.

Cheers,