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ODF Editor Says ODF Loses If OOXML Does

An anonymous reader writes "The editor of the Open Document Format standard has written a letter (PDF) that strongly supports recognizing Microsoft's OOXML file format as a standard, arguing that if it fails, ODF will suffer. 'As the editor of OpenDocument, I want to promote OpenDocument, extol its features, urge the widest use of it as possible, none of which is accomplished by the anti-OpenXML position in ISO,' Patrick Durusau wrote. 'The bottom line is that OpenDocument, among others, will lose if OpenXML loses... Passage of OpenXML in ISO is going to benefit OpenDocument as much as anyone else.'"

12 of 268 comments (clear)

  1. Re:3 questions... by Mordok-DestroyerOfWo · · Score: 5, Funny

    I'm not going to answer your questions. If you question Microsoft, you question America. If Microsoft loses then the terrorists have already won. Is that what you want?

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    "Never let your sense of morals prevent you from doing what is right" - Salvor Hardin
  2. We failed already by jsse · · Score: 3, Funny

    when the letter has to be distributed in PDF.

  3. What kind of ODF editor is that then? by Colin+Smith · · Score: 4, Funny

    Using PDF when he could have forced the entire world to install OOo to read it in ODF format.

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    Deleted
  4. Great Shades of Miguel! by pdwalker · · Score: 3, Funny

    Oh Miguel, you are such a kidder

  5. Re:4 possibilities by ameyer17 · · Score: 1, Funny

    This time with proper formatting...
    1) This guy works for a company that sold its soul to Microsoft in exchange for a useless patent agreement
    2) This guy got a large quantity of money from Microsoft in the recent past
    3) This guy got a large quantity of crack from Microsoft in the recent past and consumed it
    4) Going by the date in the letter (March 24) they released the letter 8 days early
    Remember, friends don't let friends post without using preview

  6. In other news... by iamdrscience · · Score: 5, Funny

    "Superman, a prominent member of the Super Friends group has written a letter that strongly supports The Legion of Doom, arguing that if it fails, the forces of good will suffer. 'As head of the Super Friends, I want to promote truth, justice and the American way, none of which is accomplished by the anti-evil position' Superman wrote. 'The bottom line is that the Super Friends, among others, will lose if The Legion of Doom loses... Evil prevailing is going to benefit the Super Friends as much as anyone else.'"

  7. Re:Don't fully understand his arguments by Alsee · · Score: 4, Funny

    I was a bit troubled by my inability to grasp the logic of the arguements put forward by this editor

    Ahhhh young grasshopper, to understand his logic and arguments one must first understand the The Time Cube.

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    - - You can't take something off the Internet! That's like trying to take pee out of a swimming pool.
  8. Mystery Men and PDF by Whiteox · · Score: 2, Funny

    It's mystery men all over!
    What's the point of a superhero if there is no evil overlord?

    One should point out that a significant majority of documentation out there is already final and should be non-editable.
    PDF is already the defacto standard for this. So presently, OO can easily produce a PDF of a document which can be read by almost anyone. Any MS doc could be converted to PDF by proprietary software. So PDF is the common document format.

    It's only when a document has to be edited by a number of collaborators, using different WP and OS that some kind of standard is required. Again, for the most part, the edited document is finalised and can be made into a PDF.

    Now practically, typesetting machines can read a text document that is pre-tagged, so it understands font face, size, chapter number, paragraphs, quotes etc etc - and this is all done in plain text. No mystery here at all.
    The battle between ODF and docx is the battle between MS and the rest of the world.
    ODF should win, simply because it is monopolistic to force anyone to purchase software to view and edit what amounts to be public domain texts.

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    Don't be apathetic. Procrastinate!
  9. Re:ODF editor on OOXML by Alsee · · Score: 3, Funny

    Either you've got trade secrets based on your file format, or you have an open standard. Not both.

    Sure you can. It just costs extra to get it approved.
    OOXML, the standard the best money can buy.

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    - - You can't take something off the Internet! That's like trying to take pee out of a swimming pool.
  10. Re:3 questions... by theonlyaether · · Score: 4, Funny

    It's actually two, as long as we're nit-picking...

    --
    Graduate students and most professors are no smarter than undergrads.
    They're just older.
  11. Re:How this kind of thing works - Soft Bribery by BECoole · · Score: 2, Funny

    Question: How do I set myself up for such a deal?

  12. OT: STOP PLEASE STOP! by thePowerOfGrayskull · · Score: 2, Funny

    I just can't believe CPA's make up their own formulas. (OK, honest CPA's.) And since these formula's

    GAH! I can't take it any more! You don't make a word plural by adding an apostrophe "s"! Unleash the dogs of war. Every man's destiny. CPAs make up their formulas! Is that so bloody hard?! I see otherwise intelligent, educated people making this mistake more and more often, and I'm terrified that it will become accepted. The other day, I caught myself doing it -- now I lie awake at night, afraid to sleep for I know that the "'s"es will return in my dreams.

    So, uh, right. Sorry about that, had to get it off my chest. Carry on.