[odf-discuss] Re: Interop between multiple standards and multiple applications [new thread]

[M. Fioretti]

Robert,

maybe there has been some confusion in this thread. I was just pointing
out that:

- the comparison with "physical objects" related standards seems an
  apple-vs-oranges one to me, and that:

- perfect interop is very often a scam or an unnecessary feature when
  dealing with office file formats in general, so we should focus on
  making this point (and the necessity for an "Open File" series of
  actions as described in my 2006 articles) very clear to both PAs and
  the general public

Personally, I agree word by word with this analysis of yours:

> But how do you get a standard of the first kind (like ODF) be
> interoperable with a technology like MS Office, which follows a very
> different interoperability model?  If anyone thinks that Microsoft, by
> making OOXML available, is in even the slightest way restricting
> themselves from making arbitrary changes to OOXML in the future, then they
> are just fooling themselves... Microsoft will not allow high-fidelity
> level interop with FOSS applications.  Why would anyone believe that
> Microsoft would voluntarily allow something that is so obviously
> against their best interests?

As a matter of fact, it's what I've been *explicitly* saying since, at
least, 2001, see my provocation in the discuss at openoffice.org archives
titled "are you advocating OOo correctly" or something like that, for many
reasons including, but not limited, the ones you mention:

> It takes longer to create a high-quality convertor than it takes
> Microsoft to create a new version of Office.  You will never catch up if
> you chase after Microsoft that way

> That is why getting ODF support into MS Office is so important, and that
> explains why Microsoft is trying so hard to do this so poorly with their
> CleverAge project.  If you get strong ODF support into Office, in a way
> which it is treated like a native format that can be made a default, then
> you have something powerful.

Absolutely: as I said 6 years ago in that thread, and have been repeating
constantly since then:

"If you *have* to play poker with a known trickster, you should at least
pretend a new deck of cards every time, not the one he "casually" had
already in his pocket"

I always welcome discussion, action proposals and related info for new
articles about "open file" and/or "nobody needs 100% roundtrip interop"
campaigns.

Ciao,
                    Marco Fioretti
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