[clug] Internode dumps FOSS for MS Exchange

[Karun Dambiec]

On 18/02/10 7:31 PM, Mike Carden wrote:
> On Thu, Feb 18, 2010 at 6:41 PM, Karun Dambiec<karun at linux.com>  wrote:
>
>    
>> I do not see anything wrong with Microsoft and vendors competing in the
>> market fairly using the same open format, rather than vendor lockin.
>>      
> Which was precisely my argument during the OOXML standardisation
> debate. If a vendor truly believes that their product is the best tool
> for the job, let them promote and demonstrate it as such rather than
> try to create their own version of a format standard. To be a little
> less abstract, I mean that Microsoft could have adopted the ODF format
> and declared that they would implement it better than anyone else and
> set about selling that user experience based on their belief in the
> excellence of their software. That they fought tooth and nail to not
> do so tells me that they lack confidence in the quality of their
> software.
>
>    
I think it is already too late for them to win through OOXML. There are 
many governments whom have adopted OpenDocument Format/ODF as the 
standard now, except for our own.
And some have taken quite an interesting approach like the Netherlands:

"From the beginning of 2009 onwards, open source software 
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_source> and the ODF format will be 
the standard for reading, publishing and the exchange of information for 
all governmental organisations. Whenever the software used is not open 
source special reasons have to be given." Source: 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OpenDocument_adoption#Europe^ 
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OpenDocument_adoption#cite_note-46> ^ 
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OpenDocument_adoption#cite_note-47>