[odf-discuss] ODF adoption -- Norway Moves Towards ODF

[marbux]

Resending to the list so the subject line will group in email client sorts.

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Daniel <daniel.carrera at zmsl.com>
Date: May 14, 2007 3:46 AM
Subject: [odf-discuss] [Fwd: Norway Moves Towards ODF]
To: ODF Discussion List <odf-discuss at opendocumentfellowship.org>




-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Norway Moves Towards ODF
Date: Mon, 14 May 2007 08:54:35 -0400
From: andrew.updegrove at gesmer.com
To: undisclosed-recipients: ;

All,

Norway has become the latest European country to move closer to mandatory
government use of ODF (and PDF).  According to a press release provided in
translation to me by an authoritative source, Norway now joins Belgium,
Finland, and France (among other nations) in moving towards a final
decision to require such use. The text of the press release, as well as
some of the statements made at the press conference where the announcement
was made, are appended at the end of this blog post to which this relates.


The Norwegian recommendation was revealed by Minister of Renewal Heidi
Grande Roys, on behalf of the Cabinet-appointed Norwegian Standards
Council.  If adopted, it would require all government agencies and services
to use these two formats, and would permit other formats (such as OOXML) to
be used only in a redundant capacity.  The press release does not state
whether or not OOXML, if adopted by ISO/IEC, would be added to the formats
recommended for mandated use.  Instead, it calls for Norway to "promote the
convergence of the ODF and OOXML, in order to avoid having two standards
covering the same usage."


According to the press release, the recommendation will be the subject of
open hearings, with opinions to be rendered to the Cabinet before August 20
this summer.  The Cabinet would then make its own (and in this case
binding) recommendation to the Norwegian government.


This announcement is the latest in a series of news items, some concrete
and some promotional, from which the relative progress of ODF and OOXML can
be inferred.  The former category includes actual announcements of
recommendations and adoption by governments (such as this) and standards
bodies (such as ISO/IEC's JTC1, updating the "fast track" progress of
OOXML), while the latter includes a continuing series of blog postings -
such as this recent post by Microsoft Program Manager Brian Jones:
http://blogs.msdn.com/brian%5Fjones/ pointing to a new "Open OOXML
Community" site, at which Microsoft is inviting its partners to post
messages of support


Further details and analysis are here:
http://www.consortiuminfo.org/standardsblog/article.php?story=20070513180219689


As always, please let me know if you would like to be removed from this
distribution list.

Andrew Updegrove
Gesmer Updegrove LLP
40 Broad Street
Boston, MA  02109
v:  617/350-6800
f:  617/350-6878
http://www.gesmer.com
http://www.consortiuminfo.org
http://www.opensourcelegal.org



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