09.24.07
More Document Format Links; OOXML is Disliked Even by Microsoft Employees, Apparently
At this point, it should be very important for Microsoft to have a Novell VP say that OOXML is a “superb standard” because, on the face of it, some of Microsoft’s own employees understand that OOXML deserves to be disliked. Watch this:
What does it say about Microsoft and its current OOXML push that our readers — essentially, the home field for Microsoft in this contest — are so clearly opposed to the Redmond-sponsored technology?
Be aware that the guy whom Microsoft paid to edit Wikipedia’s article on OOXML advised Australia to vote against OOXML. Even Brian Jones, who orchestrated a lot of the OOXML fiasco, has admitted that OOXML isn’t ready (or suitable) for standardisation. Surely, corruption which was identified (e.g. [1, [2]) had a lot to do with the final vote on OOXML. The ISO’s broken system did not help here. Nothing stands in the face of greed.
In the following new article about the ruling in Europe, it is advised that people should take a lesson and be steered away from Microsoft’s proprietary format, of which OOXML is one.
More importantly, people should save document files in a format that can be read by any word processor. It is called rich-text format, or RTF, and it keeps all the attributes (font, margins, indents etc) that most people need.
And do not give in to paying needlessly for software upgrades, particularly Office. The upgrades give you precious little extra for the money and indeed give you grief because you have to learn a whole lot of new tricks. And the stuff you create won’t be able to be read by people with older software unless you use RTF.
Meanwhile, KDE developers are bringing an open source, ODF-oriented office suite to Windows. They join a crowded market that includes AbiWord, Symphony, and OpenOffice.org, among other (mainly proprietary) office suites.
Yes, this is working copy of KWord 2.0 alpha running on KDE 4 under MS Windows, compiled during KDE-On-Windows meeting in Berlin. I must say local Trolltech’s office is great environment for developing.
In case anyone is interested, here is a video extolling the virtues of real standards, with a focus on accessibility.
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.