[odf-discuss] OpenDocument traps, was: UPGRADE monograph about OpenDocument and OOXML

[marbux]

You might take another look at the inclusion of electronic signatures
on the hit list. I think that would be a non-starter and impede
adoption of the certification you propose. Laws *require* many classes
of documents to be electronically signed as a condition of submitting
them in electronic format. E.g., the E-SIGN Act in the U.S., which has
equivalents around the world. The electronic signature is designed to
establish that the person who created the record is the person the
document states is its signatory. Think of court documents as an
example. If there is a dispute as to authenticity, how might a court
resolve whether a document was actually "signed" by a particular
lawyer or person who executed an affidavit? The only alternative would
be to require that all court documents be submitted only on paper. And
think of the problem of malicious people submitting documents to
government using someone else's name. E.g., if someone sent the White
House a document threatening to assassinate the president using my
name, it could cause untold problems for me. The absence of my
electronic signature on the document would provide me with a factual
defense.

Personally, I believe the use of electronic signatures should be
encouraged in many situations rather than discouraged.

Best regards,

Marbux

On 4/1/07, M. Fioretti <mfioretti at mclink.it> wrote:
> On Wed, Mar 21, 2007 20:17:55 PM +0100, Alberto Barrionuevo (FFII)
> (alberto.barrionuevo at extremadura.es) wrote:
>
> >    UPGRADE, "the European Journal for the Informatics Professional",
> > has released a monograph about the OpenDocument and the document
> > formats war (ODF, OOXML, ISO, etc).
>
> I have just posted a follow-up to my own contribution to that
> monograph here:
>
> http://robertogaloppini.net/2007/04/01/file-format-hidden-traps-in-opendocument-or-any-other-open-standard-and-how-to-avoid-them/
>
> Feedback is welcome,
>
>         Marco
>
> --
> The best way to make everybody love Free Standards and Free Software:
> http://digifreedom.net/node/73
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