In a blow to Microsoft, Belgium's government departments will be instructed to use an open file format for internal communications. The OpenDocument Format is to be the standard format for exchanging documents within the government, according to a proposal that is expected to be approved by Belgium's Council of Ministers on Friday. The plan increases the pressure from governments worldwide on Microsoft to embrace open standards.
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Member since:2005-07-06
Member since:2005-07-06
Member since:2005-11-11
//Don't mind him. He spouted off the same stuff in other threads and I believe someone proved him wrong before. Might have been n4cer or Bryan Freeney, I can't remember. I'll post it if I find it.//
Most definately not proved wrong.
The OpenXML specification alone has multiple references to "ActiveX". ActiveX is, of course, only available for Windows.
Try this reference:
http://www.topxml.com/XML/re-34771_First-impressions-of-Open-%2...
Or this one, to Brian Jone's weblog (Brian Jones is a manager of Microsoft's Office 12 project):
http://blogs.msdn.com/brian_jones/archive/2005/10/11/479808.aspx
" # re: Microsoft Office Open XML Format does not require upgrading to Office "12"
Wednesday, October 12, 2005 8:20 PM by BrianJones
Inquisitive - Steven Sinofsky (Senior VP for Office) sent a signed letter to the European Union directly addressing that very concern. We will continue to provide the licenses going forward and continue to represent everything in XML (other than obvious binary type structures like pictures, Active X controls, etc.)."
Brian Jones says here that people will not need to update to Vista in order to use Office 12, but he lets the penny drop about Open XML having Windows dependencies in so saying, and he even states that those dependencies will not be available under the open license of Open XML itself.
It is like saying "sure, anyone can build a car, as long as it is designed to run only on Microsoft (TM) roads".
You are soooooooo wrong about this sappyvc it just isn't funny. You have been suckered by Microsoft, how embarrasing.
Edited 2006-06-25 01:00
Member since:2005-11-11
//"Sorry, but the reference you quote has no definite statement along this lines.
The quoted Sun source says, they haven't fully investigated it yet and it only appears to have certain aspects bound to functionality only availble under Windows.
While I can certainly imagine something like this to be true, claiming certainty about Windows dependencies is just wrong."//
Sorry, but it is not wrong. The Office Open XML speciification contains multiple references to Windows-only proprietary technology. Activex is just one example.
Other parties may be "allowed" by the associated licenses to create a competing application that supports Office Open XML formats, but by design that application will be constrained to run only on Windows.
I can find multiple references to the dependencies on the Windows platform that are built in to the Office Open XML specification. It is not a secret at all.
The bit that Microsoft don't want you to notice is that although you may not be tied in to a single vendor (say Office 12) by the Office Open XML format, you are tied in to another product (that being Microsoft Windows) from a single vendor only, due to the dependencies embedded in to the Office Open XML format.
"Don't mind that man behind the curtain" - Wizard of Oz, I believe.
Edited 2006-06-25 01:08
Member since:
2005-07-07
OpenXML has a dependency on Windows (in that any application using OpenXML must run on Windows), and Windows is available only from one particular supplier.
Sorry, but the reference you quote has no definite statement along this lines.
The quoted Sun source says, they haven't fully investigated it yet and it only appears to have certain aspects bound to functionality only availble under Windows.
While I can certainly imagine something like this to be true, claiming certainty about Windows dependencies is just wrong.