Microsoft Supporting ODF? -- Close, But No Cigar
Source: http://www.groklaw.net/article.php?story=20080522012330406
Thursday, May 22 2008 @ 04:26 AM EDT
I wish I could wholeheartedly applaud the Microsoft announcement about native
support for ODF, but I can't. Of course, it's better to have native support for
ODF, no matter what motives may have influenced Microsoft's announcement, and
I'm glad about that for the sake of end users. But it hasn't happened yet. Was
the word 'vaporware' not coined for Microsoft? In any case, I'm in the "I will
believe it when I see it" category when it comes to Microsoft. They've earned
my caution.
And I see danger signs for FOSS I'd like to share with you, so you can consider
them. Once again, the problem is software patents. Internet News indicates that
commercial Linux/FOSS vendors, and the GPL license that Linux comes with, will
be excluded:
Microsoft, however, frames its latest moves as part of fulfilling a
company-wide interoperability initiative that it announced in February.
Uh oh. Remember this from February, when Microsoft announced the availability
of APIs?
Going forward, Smith said that Microsoft will enter into a covenant not to
sue open source developers who use the open APIs for noncommercial
applications. Commercial developers will still need to obtain patent licenses
to use the code.
GPL developers can't obtain patent licenses. That would violate the terms of
the GPL. Period.
Like Microsoft doesn't know that.
But, you say, Linux is GPL'd and that's Microsoft's primary competition. Can it
be that commercial vendors and the GPL will be exiled again from the "even"
playing field everyone else gets to be on? Why yes. It appears so. Commercial
Linux vendors need not apply. Or they can sell out.
http://www.endsoftwarepatents.org
------
¿Eres un usuario cautivo ó libre?
¿controlas tu ordenador o tu ordenador te controla a tí?
Libérate: Usa Gnu/Linux y OpenOffice.org:
http://www.obtengalinux.org/windows/
Are you a free user or a captive one?
Do you control your computer or does your computer control you?
Set yourself free: Use Gnu/Linux and OpenOffice.org:
http://www.getgnulinux.org/windows/
--- El jue, 22/5/08, David Gerard <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> escribió:
> De: David Gerard <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> Asunto: Re: Even Microsoft officially gives up on ISO/DIS-29500
> Para: [email protected]
> Fecha: jueves, 22 mayo, 2008 8:50
> 2008/5/22 Sam Liddicott <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>:
>
> > Doesn't abiword also support ODF?
>
>
> It has import/export, but they're not huge fans and it
> won't ever be
> the default format:
>
> http://www.redhatmagazine.com/2008/05/08/abiword-team-interview/
>
>
> - d.
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