"The OpenDocument Format is an emerging file format standard for electronic office documents. Representing a triumph of common sense over the methods conceived before the rise of the Internet, ODF's goals are both exciting and controversial. Early adopters of the format include state and municipal governments in some near and far-flung places, and this makes the format's progress a thing to watch. Yet innovation theory tells us there are some hurdles we all must overcome before ODF becomes a regular topic of conversation at the ballpark. Those in the know, however, recognize that we're in about the second inning of a barn-burner. So, grab a hot dog and a beer, and settle in for a classic."
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Member since:2006-01-19
PDF can be implemented by anyone. Adobe however does not want MS to include PDF export to MS Office by default.
The reason for this is, that MS would in that way ruin Adobe's business of selling licenses for their PDF creating software. Adobe does not propose patent or copyright arguments to make MS retract that feature, but antitrust arguments. Adbobe says that the market dominance of MS Office would be an unfair advantage in the PDF creating software market, that MS would use its monopoly in office software to gain another monopoly in the PDF creating market.
So this bantering between Adobe and MS has nothing to do with intellectual property or format open/closedness.
PDF is an open format, because everybody can make software which writes and reads PDF documents. If MS is barred from writing PDF due to antitrust reasons, it is Microsofts problem. They could decide to split themselves into two companies which start off with the same source code. Then none would be a monopoly any more and they would not have to fear the anti-trust regulations anymore.
Member since:2005-12-02
"The reason for this is, that MS would in that way ruin Adobe's business of selling licenses for their PDF creating software."
Thanks for clearing that up, as it did have me kind of confused. It makes sense in a way, however to me it belittles the openness of it, as that is no longer Adobe's cash cow so to speak as there are many packages out there which allow you to write, read, and edit PDF documents.
Member since:2006-07-04
If PDF isn't open for all to use, it's not truly open at all.
Yes, Adobe wanted to protect its PDF creation biz, which is based on converting MS Office docs to PDF. (Rather than threatening to sue, Adobe could've competed by adding features to its PDF software or lowering the price.)
But did you know that Adobe proposed to Microsoft that Adobe would allow built-in PDF export in Office 2007 if Microsoft increased the price of Office 2007 so as to not undercut the price of Adobe's PDF creation software? In other words, Adobe proposed colluding with MS in price-fixing regarging software that converts MS Office docs to PDF files. Price-fixing is as anti-consumer as you can get. Pleasse stop pretending that Adobe is on the side of the angels. Adobe currently has a monopoly on converting MS Office docs to PDF, and Adobe wants to protect that monopoly, even going as far as proposing collusiion and price-fixing.
Member since:
2005-12-02
"Okay, I get that much in regards to Microsoft's current Office file formats. But what about Microsoft's upcoming OpenXML formats? I recall there was still some openness issue that people had with it, but I forget the specific complaints.
Edit: Oh, and doesn't Adobe prevent alternative pdf writers from being made? "
I think some of the complaints had to do with the MS OpenXML deviated from the XML standard, and was not fully open, as in the full specs were not published.
Not sure about Adobe on that one to be honest. If that is the case then OpenOffice has issues as they write directly to PDF. I am actually confused on that one as well as they stopped Microsoft from implementing a PDF writer into Word if I remember correctly. Could be wrong though.
*Edit: Corrected typo
Edited 2006-08-21 21:55