01.30.08
Sun Microsystems’ Relationship with OpenDocument Format
One myth that was busted quite recently is that ODF is OpenOffice.org. Such disinformation is often being used by Microsoft to discredit ODF. Simon Phipps anf Erwin Tenhumberg have explained that better in this new powwow with Microsoft’s own press (don’t be misled by the source):
As another Sun employee, Erwin Tenhumberg, pointed out in his blog quoting a KOffice developer, OOXML’s goal is compatibility with one particular application — Microsoft Office. Therefore, OOXML is very closely related to and dependent on the Microsoft Office implementation. In contrast, ODF is based on the OpenOffice.org XML file format, not the OpenOffice.org implementation.
That’s a huge difference because the OpenOffice.org XML file format was designed with application, vendor and platform independence in mind…
In other news, there are prizes being offered and distributed which urge developers to support OpenOffice.org.
Sun Microsystems has published some details about the Open Source Community Innovation Awards it announced in December of 2007.
It needs to be pointed out that what Sun does here is — worryingly enough — similar to Microsoft’s attempt to rally grassroots supporters around ‘Open XML’. This shouldn’t really be done. █
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.