[odf-discuss] Gnome, Ecma, and what governments (and FOSS?) should have done

[Jody Goldberg]

On Fri, Nov 02, 2007 at 11:13:47PM -0400, Pamela Jones wrote:
> Since you don't follow my reasoning, let me show you someone else who 
> explains the issue in a way that may be clearer:
>
> http://blogs.zdnet.com/open-source/?p=1616
>
> Will GNOME split give Microsoft Open XML standards win?

This is a self inflicted wound.  It's not MS that is making this
argument it's you.  These stories are appearing _now_ as a result of
this discussion.  By worrying that MS may do something, we are
infact handing them a division on a silver platter.  If they're
smart, (whatever we think of their ethics, they do have smart people
there) they will avoid weighing on this topic entirely.

The act of inflating a simple technical procedure into 'poison' and
worrying about how MS will spin it has produced exactly the results
it seeks to avoid.