Microsoft Open Document Standard Not So Open

avik42 wrote to mention an EWeek article discussing Microsoft's attempts at an Open Document Standard. From the article: "According to a Microsoft representative, 'The covenant language is what was referred to as the updated license for the Open XML formats that will be submitted to ECMA International for the standardization process.' The only difference between Microsoft's November 2003 open and royalty-free license for the Office 2003 Reference Schemas and today's Office 2003 license, according to the company, is that 'Microsoft is offering a covenant not to sue for the Office 2003 Reference Schemas.'" We reported on this initiative when it was first announced.

Comments

Re:More detail on Groklaw

[killjoe]

It's also important that MS is only judge of what is and is not conformant with the spec because they get to decide what is "complete". This means that at any time they can decide that an open source project is not "complete" and then sue them if they continue to insist that it is.

Too bad they seem to have bought the governors office though. Spread a few rolexes around and MA will accept your definition of open. Do we live in a great country or what?