07.31.07
Here Comes the OOXML of Your Photos and Personal Images
Remember last week’s discussion about a stack of so-called ’standards’ from Microsoft, which are geared towards total hijack of personal data, media, and the Web? A new article reminds us of another piece of the puzzle — Microsoft’s HD.
In trying to drive the technology further into the market, Microsoft has developed a plug-in that adds HD Photo support to Adobe’s popular Photoshop editing program.
Wait until this so-called format gets ‘extended’, preferably (in Microsoft’s favour) with Windows-only augmentations. That’s just what one finds in OOXML. Remember encryption/Tivoization of Office 2007 files in Vista? It probably won’t take long before HD gets Windows-only ‘extensions’ such as DRM. Isn’t that a feature? Just like WMV, it’s unlikely to be cross platform.
Quoted above is the part showing that Microsoft’s support for its ’standards’ does not comes from industry. Microsoft just ‘lends’ its support. There is a pattern here. It has already bought some support before, remember? Remind yourselves of OOXML’s artificial (paid-for) acceptance. Novell, Turbolinux, Corel, Linspire, Xandros, and maybe even Sun receive OOXML encouragements. Standards are being bought, not earned. JPEG 2000 was fine, but Microsoft just needed to ‘innovate’ its own format — one that it can control, extend, and even use to discriminate against rival software (including operating systems). We are not entirely sure if HD is also associated with patents (i.e. costs).
The Halloween Memos explain this strategy. Microsoft knows very well what it is trying to achieve here (and why).
Q: The first [Microsoft] document talked about extending standard protocols as a way to “deny OSS projects entry into the market.” What does this mean?
A: To better serve customers, Microsoft needs to innovate above standard protocols. By innovating above the base protocol, we are able to deliver advanced functionality to users.
Highlight: Novell was the first to acknowledge that Microsoft FUD tactics had substance. Novell then used anti-Linux FUD to market itself. 
Highlight: Xandros let Microsoft make patent claims and brag about (paid-for) OOXML support. 
Highlight: Linspire's CEO not only fell into Microsoft arms, but he also assisted the company's attack on GNU/Linux. 
Highlight: Microsoft craves pseudo (proprietary) standards and gets its way using proxies and influence which it buys. 
Highlight: The invasion into the open source world is intended to leave Linux companies neglected, due to financial incentives from Microsoft. 
Analysis: Xen, an open source hypervisor, possibly fell victim to Microsoft's aggressive (and stealthy) acquisition-by-proxy strategy.