The whole point seems to be that somebody asked the wrong question at some time.
Closed protocols and formats are the privilege of commercial entities. Mandating closed formats and protocols by a democratic government for egovernment purposes is a mockery on democracy no matter what the price. Why not just hand over an exclusive contract and cash in instead. It would be as bad as it is now, but with less hypocritical.
The EU has no business regulating what commercial entities use for their own products. However, it can and should mandate open standards which are not burdened by patents and by ANY price. So, clearly, there was no point in asking m$ the question that prompted that answer. - s7ht9fga
Slashdot Mirror
The whole point seems to be that somebody asked the wrong question at some time.
Closed protocols and formats are the privilege of commercial entities. Mandating closed formats and protocols by a democratic government for egovernment purposes is a mockery on democracy no matter what the price. Why not just hand over an exclusive contract and cash in instead. It would be as bad as it is now, but with less hypocritical.
The EU has no business regulating what commercial entities use for their own products. However, it can and should mandate open standards which are not burdened by patents and by ANY price. So, clearly, there was no point in asking m$ the question that prompted that answer. - s7ht9fga