Massachusetts Should Close Down OpenDocument

FOX News ^ | September 28, 2005 | James Prendergast

[Golden Eagle]

The broader media usually take little interest in public policy debates about technology, but they’re missing a big story in Massachusetts.

The technology trades, blogs and industry are buzzing about a monumental policy shift in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Officials in the state have proposed a new policy that mandates that every state technology system use only applications designed around OpenDocument file formats.

Such a policy might seem like something that should concern only a small group of technology professionals, but in fact the implications are staggering and far-reaching. The policy promises to burden taxpayers with new costs and to disrupt how state agencies interact with citizens, businesses and organizations.

Worse, the policy represents an attack on market-based competition, which in turn will hurt innovation. The state has a disaster in the making.

[for-q-clinton]

open source commie pinkos

I said that?

[Redcloak]

Sharing documents is the entire point of the exercise. They are choosing a document format that is accessible to the widest range of software titles; not one and only one. Standardizing on a single vendor's proprietary format is the next best thing to a State ordered monopoly for that vendor.

And who cares where the idea originated? If some far-left, tree-hugging loony told you that standing in front of oncoming trains was a bad idea, would you do it anyway just because you don't like the source of the information?

[Redcloak]

And the small portion of that 90% who work in government jobs in MA can continue to do so under this law. OOo runs just fine under Windows.

[HAL9000]

While I agree it should be in Word, you just undercut your larger document by admitting you can easily access Word even without having any MS software.

That applications that import Word docs are inferior to PDF-importing documents. The loss of fidelity during the Word file import can distort the contents of the document.

[Golden Eagle]

Open source zealots indeed. Right down to the Chinese proverbs.

http://www.governmentciosummit.ca/tiki-download_file.php?fileId=14

[JoJo Gunn]

You've implied it, especially by the comment that Golden Eagle is fighting for Conservative principles. Were you saying I'm not a Conservative?

Is it a crime to speak out against crummy business practices, to say I don't want an operating system that I have to make long distance calls and put up with a former fry cook to activate what I bought and paid for with my hard earned cash? (Jeez, how many times have I asked that question around here?) Do I have the right to go wherever my wallet will allow? I thought that was also p[art of the Free market system.

As I've said a gazillion times, I don't like Napster stuff, but neither do I like the evolving business model of my not owning what I buy. If that makes me a commie pinko in people's eyes, then those brain dead morons can bite old Rusty, end of story.

Outta here....

[for-q-clinton]

That applications that import Word docs are inferior to PDF-importing documents. The loss of fidelity during the Word file import can distort the contents of the document.

That won't be an issue with Office 12 document formats, so we're in agreement that Taxachussettes should give Office 12 formats a similiar exemption as PDF, right?

[for-q-clinton]

Absolutely you have the right to go overboard about activation. Not sure why you have to call though. I've rebuilt computers at least a dozen times and never had to call anyone...I use the Internet. But I assume you have a unique situation that causes you to hate activation. And you don't have to buy windows/office if you don't want to--as you said.

However, when the state mandates that they spend tax payers dollars to use anything but Microsoft than I have an issue with it. Remember the topic of this thread? It wasn't about your personal issue with Microsoft, it was the state mandating people not use anything built my Microsoft by trying to mandate a new/untried/unproven format in the gov't, but at the same time providing an exemption for Adobe (simply because they aren't Microsoft).

[for-q-clinton]

Great news for all you Microsoft lovers. They have a waiver for Taxachussetts :-)

http://blogs.msdn.com/brian_jones/archive/2005/10/01/476067.aspx

Well they will piggyback on the PDF waiver. If the state recinds the wiaver for PDF, that means this whole thing was a bogus ABM move at taxpayers expense.

I wonder if the ABMer's at Taxachussetts are kicking themselves for this PDF waiver. This is sooooo funny.

[JoJo Gunn]

This is sooooo funny.

No, Gatesbots are funny.

[Petronski]

“If you want to know your past, look at your present conditions. If you want to know your future, look at your present actions.” --Chinese Proverb





So what?

[SamAdams76]

I think a law should be passed that mandates that nothing but Microsoft Office and it's attendant applications be used for everyday commerce, both public and private sectors.

Microsoft has proven over the years that nothing will ever top the "Big 3" of Word, Excel and Powerpoint. In fact, I am in the process of putting together my autobiography in Powerpoint format. I even put together a few Powerpoint slides for my wife. Here is one of them:

Positive Attributes of Wife

• Does not give me grief for watching NFL football on Sundays (even on Monday nights).

• Does not nag me about painting the shed (even though it needs painting badly

• Is very good with kids (especially ours)

• When I wake up with her in the morning, she is very easy on the eyes (even after all these years)

• Is not a feminist (and thinks Hillary Clinton is a dyke)

• Does not make me do stupid girl things with her (like seeing plays and going shopping)

I could probably even add a few more bullets if I wanted to but then I'd have to reduce the font size to keep it all on one page. I also have this particular slide animated so that the text in each bullet comes in with a "whoosh."

It's pretty cool.

[Petronski]

You're doing a PowerPoint autobiography?

Dude, that's crazy. LOL

[Petronski]

I think my sarcasmeter is jammed.

[SamAdams76]

Yes, and I have my will on an Excel Spreadsheet, with pivot tables for each of the kids.

[N3WBI3]

If the state recinds the wiaver for PDF, that means this whole thing was a bogus ABM move at taxpayers expense.

Well this will answer the question if they wont let MS office be used where Adobe would be used. I have said all along that if MS could without jumping though hoops do what ODF does they need to be considered... If MS can read, write, and edit existing PDF then it should be straight TCO..

[Petronski]

If MS can read, write, and edit existing PDF then it should be straight TCO..

A very BIG if...

[for-q-clinton]

yeah the state is either going to end up with egg on its face or end up accepting M$. As I said before, there's no reason for PDF. I wouldn't be surprised if M$ pulled a fast one and got Adobe to champion for the waiver.

[Bulwark]

I simply post facts like the ones in the above article. The romper room antics and children who seem to have lost their parents are hardly damaging to my position, but make yours look exactly like what it is - anarchists who favor liberal policies like the ones currently proposed in Mass.

Actually, this is very good for Mass. It makes data exchange/crunching very easy for all of the backroom programmers who have to actually deal with these documents, which has been a very difficult task with Excel.

[ordinaryguy]

I thought you might be interested in this update on the Fox News site.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,172063,00.html

Editor's Note: The column "Massachusetts Should Close Down OpenDocument" that appeared on FOXnews.com Sept. 28 identified author James Prendergast as executive director of Americans for Technology Leadership, but failed to disclose that Microsoft is a founding member of that organization.

-snip-

Mr. Prendergast's affiliation with Microsoft should have been stated clearly in the article.