Dutch ODF Plan Could Sideline Microsoft

Yeti7226 sends word of a discussion coming up Wednesday in the parliament of The Netherlands that could result in mandated use of Open Document Format at government agencies there. If the plan is enacted, public-sector organizations, as well as the government, would have to transition to using ODF by 2010. Microsoft Netherlands has lobbied hard against the provision. Backers say it doesn't exclude Microsoft, because ODF can be produced out of MS Office via the use of plugins. A funder of the OpenDoc Society invited Microsoft to join that organization, saying: "This plan is not about Microsoft, it's about ensuring the perpetual availability of data without any obstacles."

Comments

MSFT makes a counter offer

[140Mandak262Jamuna]

A funder of the OpenDoc Society invited Microsoft to join that organization, saying: "This plan is not about Microsoft, it's about ensuring the perpetual availability of data without any obstacles."

MSFT countered saying that it has nothing against its users ensuring perpetual availability of their data residing in their machines and it would gladly join the organization if Microsoft's right to perpetual profits could be guaranteed.

"Free!" (TM) (c) [Pat. Pend.]

[zooblethorpe]

Since when is free equal to $130 or whatever MS Office is at now?

See, that's the beauty of " Free! " (TM) (c) [Pat. Pend.] [All rights withheld by Microsoft, 2007] -- you can " Freely! " make anything equal anything else! What convenience, what ease of use, what utility! A few examples: Winter is the new summer, Stay the course, Up is down, Copyright is good for the consumer! Rinsema is simply worried that not enough people know about this Fantastic! New! Opportunity!, and is trying to make sure everyone knows that " Free! " is actually equal to $130 or whatever MS Office sells for.

It's all perfectly logical, really.

Re:Misleading Title on the Article

[Anonymous Coward]

The article title talks about getting rid of Microsoft but it's really about doing the right thing to serve the people.

Same thing?

Re:Well no wonder

[Anonymous Coward]

Luckily Microsoft keeps emailing letters explaining why they shouldn't switch using the latest .doc format, which no one can read.

No, it's true... Microsoft did a proof:

[CaptainPatent]

Since when is free equal to $130 or whatever MS Office is at now? Since Microsoft released their mathematical proof showing that all Microsoft products are free:
        * Step 1: Let a = b.
        * Step 2: Then a^2 = ab ,
        * Step 3: a^2 + a^2 = a^2 + ab ,
        * Step 4: 2a^2 = a^2 + ab ,
        * Step 5: 2a^2 - 2ab = a^2 + ab - 2ab ,
        * Step 6: and 2a^2 - 2ab = a^2 - ab .
        * Step 7: This can be written as 2(a^2 - ab) = 1(a^2 - ab) ,
        * Step 8: and canceling the (a^2 - ab) from both sides gives 1=2.
        * Step 9: We then subtract 1 from each side which gives us 0=1
        * Step 8: then multiplying by x where x is the price of the Microsoft suite you are investing in... you will note that x=0 and thus Microsoft is completely free!

Re:No, it's true... Microsoft did a proof:

[CaptainPatent]

Substituting step 2 into the equation at step 7 gives us 2*(0) = 1*(0) ... which is true, but then step 8 which reads "canceling the (a^2 - ab) from both sides" is actually a divide-by-zero error on both sides which is where it all goes awry. Shhhhhhh!
This is Microsoft, there's no error!

Re:No, it's true... Microsoft did a proof:

[Anonymous Coward]

Excel says it's 10000...

Re:No, it's true... Microsoft did a proof:

[mattmatt]

It's a feature.

Re:No, it's true... Microsoft did a proof:

[Anonymous Coward]

If you have any troubles with this kind of high mathematics, just put the data into Excel for a rigorous proof.

Microsoft whining in the press

[McDutchie]

FYI, Microsoft is whining in the Dutch-language press (Google translation) about how unfair to them this all is and how disadvantaged they would be if the government used open standards.

Re:Said another way, Re:lol.

[Anonymous Coward]

I love your sig. Nothing screams "I'm an annoying zealot" like that dollar sign.