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Microsoft Announces OOXML-UOF Project with China
Andy Updegrove writes "Today, Microsoft announced its own interoperability project to bridge the gap between China's domestically developed Uniform Office Format (UOF) and Microsoft's OOXML. In the continuing tit for tat battle between ODF and OOXML, this announcement tracks the intent of an already-existing 'harmonization' committee, hosted by OASIS, that is exploring interoperability options between ODF and UOF. Like the OOXML-ODF translator project announced by Microsoft last year, the new effort will be an open source project hosted by SourceForge. The announcement is, in one sense, no surprise. Microsoft has been waging a nation-by-nation battle for the hearts and minds of ISO/IEC JTC1 National Bodies, in an effort to win adoption of OOXML (now Ecma 376) as a global standard with equal status to ODF (now ISO 26300). In order to do so, it needs to offset the argument that one document format standard is not only enough, but preferable. With UOF representing a third entrant in the format race, easy translation of documents would obviously be key to lessen the burden on customers of products based upon one format or the other."
The article uses a quote from Churchill's WWII speech:
We shall go on to the end, we shall fight in France, we shall fight on the seas and oceans,...we shall defend our Island, whatever the cost may be, we shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender...
- Winston Churchill, June 4, 1940
It is sort of disturbing to see that and then this text in the next paragraph:
If there was any doubt left in anyone's mind that Microsoft will do everything that it can, and wherever it must, to ensure that ODF makes the minimum inroads possible into its vastly profitable Office franchise, the news of the day should put that doubt to rest. In the continuing tit for tat battle between ODF and OOXML, Microsoft announced yesterday it's own interoperability project to bridge the gap between China's domestically developed Unified Office Format (UOF) and Microsoft's OOXML...
and then this little piece: This will hardly be the last beach upon which Microsoft will defend its Office franchise.
So by this logic MS is a liberator fighting against the evil forces of Free Software.
Probably there is some comedic value in it, but honestly this leaves a very unpleasant taste.
You can't handle the truth.
A single format would be beneficial so long as there was a single format which everyone could agree was suitable for their own purposes. It's not clear to me whether that could happen. If you include all the features in the spec that anyone could possibly want, there might be someone else who complains that it's too complicated and bloated for their purposes.
And besides the technical features of the format, it's clear to me that, if you want everyone to use it, it needs to meet certain requirements. It must have no IP issues that require licensing or fees so that it can be implemented without worrying about legal issues. The format must also be documented sufficiently so that anyone can implement the standard as easily as possible.
On the other hand, I'm not sure why we need a single document standard. At least, I wouldn't want someone to try to compel developers to use a standard that is unsuitable unless there's a real reason. I mean, assuming that you have two competing fully-open standards, it doesn't seem to me to be horrible if applications support both. It means a little more effort from the various application developers, but only if they wish to implement both. Otherwise someone could develop a stand-alone converter.
I guess my point is, I don't see a reason why we shouldn't let the choice of open standards work themselves out organically and let people/organizations use/support what they like. On the other hand, I do see a reason why people should stop using closed formats or patent-encumbered formats.