Comments on: Preparing for the open-standards onslaught

CCIA President Ed Black explains why he thinks Massachusetts has set an example other governments will follow.

[dam7ri]

I'm moving to Boston!

Thank you, Massachusetts. I wish my home state of New York was as forward thinking. Maybe this move will promote alternatives to Microsux and stop their reign of chaos on the computer industry.

[dam7ri]

I'm moving to Boston!

Thank you, Massachusetts. I wish my home state of New York was as forward thinking. Maybe this move will promote alternatives to Microsux and stop their reign of chaos on the computer industry.

[R. U. Sirius]

I Love my Super Proprietary Microsoft Cheezewhiz

Well not really, but you're going to get all sorts of nasty letters from the "Bill Gates is My God" club that will defend MS to the bitter end.

[R. U. Sirius]

I Love my Super Proprietary Microsoft Cheezewhiz

Well not really, but you're going to get all sorts of nasty letters from the "Bill Gates is My God" club that will defend MS to the bitter end.

[Len Bullard]

If You Break It, You Own It

The subject line is the famous quote made to G.W., just before the misadventure in the Middle East. Some points to remember:

1. Open formats are just formats. They are portable but not interoperable. That silly bit of misdirection has been popping up for years as a Spy Vs Spy means to make the other guy look black and yourself, white. The problem is semantics support operations, and XML has none. Format labels provide a weak means to signify intentions, nothing more. If you break it, you own it. Remember, if you support 'open source' or 'open formats', it is up to you to ensure they stay open. "Meet the new boss..."

2. If procurement policies, no matter how well intentioned, begin to break existing systems, and make it harder to do a job, they raise costs. On the other hand, if a single vendor controls all of the software, they also control upgrade costs through licensing, and you can't get out of that as the music industry is waking up to with their deals with Apple and the iPod/iTunes proprietary systems.

XML buys you nothing but interoperable XML processors and there are holes in that. OpenDoc buys you the old StarOffice suite and whoever wishes to add new clients. Making this a "Let's Bash Microsoft" event is just a distraction however pleasant. It is exactly the same tactic as 'let's bash the liberals or the evangelicals'.

Interoperation is a very difficult feature to contract for, and yes, this IS about procurement.

Caveat Emptor.

[Len Bullard]

If You Break It, You Own It

The subject line is the famous quote made to G.W., just before the misadventure in the Middle East. Some points to remember:

1. Open formats are just formats. They are portable but not interoperable. That silly bit of misdirection has been popping up for years as a Spy Vs Spy means to make the other guy look black and yourself, white. The problem is semantics support operations, and XML has none. Format labels provide a weak means to signify intentions, nothing more. If you break it, you own it. Remember, if you support 'open source' or 'open formats', it is up to you to ensure they stay open. "Meet the new boss..."

2. If procurement policies, no matter how well intentioned, begin to break existing systems, and make it harder to do a job, they raise costs. On the other hand, if a single vendor controls all of the software, they also control upgrade costs through licensing, and you can't get out of that as the music industry is waking up to with their deals with Apple and the iPod/iTunes proprietary systems.

XML buys you nothing but interoperable XML processors and there are holes in that. OpenDoc buys you the old StarOffice suite and whoever wishes to add new clients. Making this a "Let's Bash Microsoft" event is just a distraction however pleasant. It is exactly the same tactic as 'let's bash the liberals or the evangelicals'.

Interoperation is a very difficult feature to contract for, and yes, this IS about procurement.

Caveat Emptor.