Re: [Marketing] Re: what do you think of Massachusetts' proposal to adopt OpenDocument format
On Sat, 2005-09-03 at 19:56 -0400, Don Parris wrote: [snip] In my book, Penguin in the Pew (a.k.a., PitP), I have a table demonstrating that the amount of productivity lost (on average), due to adjusting to the differences between Msft Office and OpenOffice.org, is really not all that great, and is frequently less than perceived. The point was that, even given the adjustment period of a couple of weeks, not all productivity is lost. Many scenarios that suggest it is more costly to retrain for the new office suite seem to assume a 100% loss in productivity. This is absolutely not true. [snip] I am in the middle of a series of roadshows in my day job. The exhibitors all prepared rolling presentations in Powerpoint / NT. The laptops hired for the events all ran XP. Guess what? all the presentations had differences in how they ran. Every enforced upgrade from Microsoft has compatibility issues and is an opportunity for us. John - To unsubscribe, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] For additional commands, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: [Marketing] Re: what do you think of Massachusetts' proposal to adopt OpenDocument format
swhiser wrote: [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Microsoft is steaming Paula Rooney The press is playing it only through the Microsoft frame...this misses the point almost entirely. There seems to be no escaping that people see Technology through their understanding of a) Microsoft as the company behind the desktop system they have used; and b) one of the most financially successful businesses in modern times. Reality is that they are no longer terribly important because the nature of IT systems has changed for good. Here's the MassGove document; it is only 20 pages; I DO suggest, implore, that you read it as this story will be important for a long time and that would be good for you: http://www.mass.gov/Aitd/docs/policies_standards/etrm3dot5/ETRM_v3dot5draft_information.pdf What is impressive about the MassGov document declaring a policy for migrating to OpenDocument is two things: 1) they are not firing Microsoft but stating their standard specification for the file formats of documents they wish to produce and accept within the context of the business of the Commonwealth; this means that Microsoft can keep this account if its Office suite starts to use OpenDocument as its default file format. Whether they will do so is another question, but the key point to keep in the frame for readers is that if Microsoft loses the Commonwealth of Massachusetts as a paying customer of its Office software then it would be **by Microsoft's own choice.** 2) the declaration for the OpenDocument file format falls within a short document which is like an executive summary laying out the State CIO's vision for a Services Oriented Architecture of the future based around the center-piece of the XML and its related markup standards. Office documents are only a small part of the aspect of a State government infrastructure that's impacted by this elegant, sweeping vision. What the State CIO is doing is he's leading the conversation down to the appropriate fundamental level about data granularity, reuse, interoperability, manageability, modularity, flexibility, et cetera-bility. Microsoft (the story of the impact on its business) is not that important in the wider context of the opportunity to embrace XML throughout a large organization's IT infrastructure; however that company must either go away or embrace OpenDocument (an open XML specification) for the State to successfully implement its vision for data. Paula- This is the moment for which I have been building since the day I joined OpenOffice.org in October, 2001. Our next job is to help the 50 other State CIO's understand the intelligence behind the Massachusetts vision and help them each implement the vision. It could take 5 years. -Sam - To unsubscribe, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] For additional commands, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] I am not nearly so elegant as you, but I have long stated that Microsoft is in danger of locking itself out of the marketplace while trying to lock in their customers. In my observations over the last two years, I have drawn the conclusion that any company that does not adapt to the new (software) economy - libre licenses, open standards, etc. - will become extinct, or at least nearly so. I continue to believe that to be the case. I have also realized, since I discovered the OASIS process for OpenDocument (through this list), that once approved, governments would begin moving to adopt it. As they do, companies will need to move to adopt the new standard. Any responses to arguments set forth by Microsoft, et. al., should avoid the emotional dialogue, and focus on the technical merits of Mass' decision. - To unsubscribe, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] For additional commands, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: [Marketing] Re: what do you think of Massachusetts' proposal to adopt OpenDocument format
Any responses to arguments set forth by Microsoft, et. al., should avoid the emotional dialogue, and focus on the technical merits of Mass' decision. Technical or economic merits. While MS might say it will cost MA to retrain staff, this is a one off short term investment for a long term gain. Companies and governments often spend money up front to invest in the future so this is not different or unusual. MS have also said that they will respond to customer demand so here is the opportunity to show they mean it. They spend a lot on market research so asking large corporate and government customers if they would prefer MS to standardise on ODF would be pretty easy to do. -- Ian Lynch [EMAIL PROTECTED] ZMSL - To unsubscribe, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] For additional commands, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: [Marketing] Re: what do you think of Massachusetts' proposal to adopt OpenDocument format
Ian Lynch wrote: Any responses to arguments set forth by Microsoft, et. al., should avoid the emotional dialogue, and focus on the technical merits of Mass' decision. Thank you Don and Ian for your comments... Technical or economic merits. While MS might say it will cost MA to retrain staff, this is a one off short term investment for a long term gain. As we know, the commitment to training is not nearly as great as others make it (which explains the slowness at many of our OOo training business [Ian needs not confirm]). MA is already competent with OOo and has full view of the scope of the training and adjustment process, and if you asked them off the record they would grin and be silent. The case study about their migration will be a Tipping Point. Companies and governments often spend money up front to invest in the future so this is not different or unusual. MS have also said that they will respond to customer demand so here is the opportunity to show they mean it. They spend a lot on market research so asking large corporate and government customers if they would prefer MS to standardise on ODF would be pretty easy to do. They're done. Over. The FUD will be loud and it (we) will embarass them, because people get this now. - To unsubscribe, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] For additional commands, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: [Marketing] Re: what do you think of Massachusetts' proposal to adopt OpenDocument format
On Sat, 2005-09-03 at 11:22 -0400, swhiser wrote: The FUD will be loud and it (we) will embarass them, because people get this now. Question: Would it be feasible to set up a petition of MS customers who would like them to adopt ODF as the default in the next version of office? -- Ian Lynch [EMAIL PROTECTED] ZMSL - To unsubscribe, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] For additional commands, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: [Marketing] Re: what do you think of Massachusetts' proposal to adopt OpenDocument format
Ian Lynch wrote: On Sat, 2005-09-03 at 11:22 -0400, swhiser wrote: The FUD will be loud and it (we) will embarass them, because people get this now. Question: Would it be feasible to set up a petition of MS customers who would like them to adopt ODF as the default in the next version of office? IMHO it would be better just to let OOo gain share and then let MS adopt it as they read the tea-leaves of the market. -Sam - To unsubscribe, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] For additional commands, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: [Marketing] Re: what do you think of Massachusetts' proposal to adopt OpenDocument format
swhiser wrote: Ian Lynch wrote: Any responses to arguments set forth by Microsoft, et. al., should avoid the emotional dialogue, and focus on the technical merits of Mass' decision. Thank you Don and Ian for your comments... Technical or economic merits. While MS might say it will cost MA to retrain staff, this is a one off short term investment for a long term gain. As we know, the commitment to training is not nearly as great as others make it (which explains the slowness at many of our OOo training business [Ian needs not confirm]). MA is already competent with OOo and has full view of the scope of the training and adjustment process, and if you asked them off the record they would grin and be silent. The case study about their migration will be a Tipping Point. In my book, Penguin in the Pew (a.k.a., PitP), I have a table demonstrating that the amount of productivity lost (on average), due to adjusting to the differences between Msft Office and OpenOffice.org, is really not all that great, and is frequently less than perceived. The point was that, even given the adjustment period of a couple of weeks, not all productivity is lost. Many scenarios that suggest it is more costly to retrain for the new office suite seem to assume a 100% loss in productivity. This is absolutely not true. Companies and governments often spend money up front to invest in the future so this is not different or unusual. MS have also said that they will respond to customer demand so here is the opportunity to show they mean it. They spend a lot on market research so asking large corporate and government customers if they would prefer MS to standardise on ODF would be pretty easy to do. They're done. Over. The FUD will be loud and it (we) will embarass them, because people get this now. I agree here. A short-term investment with an eye towards a long-term gain is definitely a smart move. Don - To unsubscribe, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] For additional commands, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
