[odf-discuss] Response from a GNOME Foundation board director

[Lars Noodén]

Jody Goldberg wrote:
> ...  The MS reps didn't mention me in the few meetings I
> attended.  Nor did they mention Novell...

Of course not.

That's established behavior which extends to their partners and
trainees.  I've noted it in so-called IT departments since around 1999
or 2000, but you can see it codified and in writing:
	 http://rcpmag.com/features/article.aspx?editorialsid=741

The purposes is to ensure that you don't find out about non-MS products
and technologies.  Even when regular specifications are used (brokenly)
they are often re-named so that those indoctrinated into the One
Microsoft Way are not likely to stumble over web pages about working
with other platforms.

That reminds me that during the first rounds of the Massachusetts debate
on using open standards, it came to light that MS had negligible
technical barriers to using ODF.  That would have solved the
'round-trip' problem then and there.

-Lars