Hi,
Very interesting article regarding this at
http://www.groklaw.net/article.php?story=2007071812280798. It is well
worth a read (especially the bit where the IBM and Sun representatives get
denied entry to the meeting due to a lack of chairs - perhaps Steve
Ballmer had thrown them out!) as it sums up the situation pretty clearly.
I (very nearly almost) wholeheartedly agree with both the article and the
comments submitted.
That said, I am concerned that the British Library is indirectly slated in
the article. Surely the British Library knows what it's doing in its
long-term digital preservation dealings with Microsoft and has the best
interests of British Subjects at heart as regards being able to preserve
and present Word 95 [TM] documents wrapped up in XML for the edification
of future generations, for example. Equally, there is surely no truth in
the online rumours that Microsoft has engaged with them in response to
Google's "Digital Library" or that the BBC iPlayer is cross-platform?
Anyway, back to the main question - ODF or OOXML for museums big or small
(and other people too)?
Regards,
James
P.S., do I need to request access to the discussions over the bl.uk
dealings with Microsoft using the Freedom of Information Act or are they
on the shelves?
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