Help Write An Open Data Format Bill

AdamBa writes "There has been a lot of discussion of open source bills, but I think open data format bills have a much greater chance of actually becoming law. Over at the Open Data Format Initiative site, I have written an article explaining "Why Open Data Format Laws Are Better Than Open Source Laws". I also have a sample Open Data Format bill; I invite comments from slashdot readers, in particular on how the sample bill could be improved."

Comments

warning: cynicism

[eyeball]

Even if everyone on /. pooled their money, I don't think we could afford to pass a bill like this.

This is just another...

[stubear]

...thinly veiled attempt to force OSS welfare upon the public at large. There were far too many sections that forced not only open data formats to be used but applications that are open themselves.

If you truly want data to be open, then say so, quit the bullshit attempts at forcing governments to stop using Microsoft Office. Work to force government to save data as PDF documents instead. The PDF standard is open to all and OSS as well as proprietary applications can save to this format just fine. You can download the Adobe Acrobat reader for free and if you use Linux/UNIX you have a number of options to choose from for opening PDF files.

*shakes head* Trolls these days.

[Zeriel]

In MY day, trolling was an ART. People wrote believable but totally false posts and waited for the gullible masses to dogpile them with flames, then responded with a simple "YHBT".

Nowadays, with all the artless "FP" trolls and the wannabes who keep posting the same stupid crap (such as the above, the old man porn, and the hLife letter), it's almost impossible to find a REAL troll.

Oh, well, I suppose the talentless hacks have to do something to pretend they're actually trolling.