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Dutch ODF Plan Could Sideline Microsoft

Posted by kdawson on from the because-it's-our-data dept.

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."

3 of 168 comments (clear)

  1. Bluff? by calebt3 · · Score: 5, Interesting

    How likely is it that these people have figured out that ODF pushes Microsoft's buttons and are using it to secure better deals?

  2. Re:Very much about Microsoft by Sentry21 · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Planned obsolescence and crufty undocumented file formats are perfectly in Microsoft's favor For an example of crufy file formats in action, read about Word 98's classic security hole - including random chunks of data/disk into its files. Present in Office 98 for Mac, as well as Office 97 for Windows, and older Mac versions (As far back as 6).

    http://www.macintouch.com/o98security.html

    Then again, I suppose this sort of thing isn't guaranteed against with ODF, since anyone can write a terrible parser for any file format. Microsoft is just really good at it, that's all.
  3. Re:Don't you believe it! by el+cisne · · Score: 5, Interesting

    "And is it really the best way for Microsoft to handle this problem? "
    It is the only way they know how.

    "I mean to lobby and complain? Why not attempt to save their business by changing their course and direction!? "
    They can no more change this course and direction than we can change our own DNA (excluding retroviruses, etc). Besides, they'd have to want to change. And they don't. They pride themselves in this method and culture and approach.

    "What is so bad about change?!
    It hurts. It is unfamiliar. The outcome is not certain. Like Dell now trying to do retail. Don't think that was the first thing on their list. They are having to play in a game in which they are newcomers.

    "Is actual competition too much for Microsoft to handle? "
    Yes. They don't know how to compete the normal way. With an actual salable product, on the merits.

    "Can't they just make a "better product" instead of playing all of these government games?"
    This IS their product. It is what they do, what they are best at. What they do better than anyone else. Software is just the arena. They are not so much a software company as they are a "protect windows and office at all freaking costs" company. That is the bottom line to everything they do.