IT: Australia Mandates Microsoft's Office Open XML

<http://it.slashdot.org/story/11/01/19/0059209/Australia-Mandates-Microsofts-Office-Open-XML> <quote> "The Australian Government has released a common operating environment desktop policy that — among security controls aimed at reducing the potential for leaks of Government data — mandates the ECMA-376 version of Microsoft's Office Open XML (OOXML) standard and productivity suites that can 'read and write' the .docx format, effectively locking the country's public servants into using Microsoft Office. The policy [PDF] also appears to limit desktop operating systems to large, off-the-shelf commercial offerings at the expense of smaller distributions." </quote>

Hardon wrote: > <http://it.slashdot.org/story/11/01/19/0059209/Australia-Mandates- Microsofts-Office-Open-XML> > > <quote> > "The Australian Government has released a common operating environment > desktop policy that ? among security controls aimed at reducing the > potential for leaks of Government data ? mandates the ECMA-376 version > of Microsoft's Office Open XML (OOXML) standard and productivity > suites that can 'read and write' the .docx format, effectively locking > the country's public servants into using Microsoft Office. The policy > [PDF] also appears to limit desktop operating systems to large, > off-the-shelf commercial offerings at the expense of smaller > distributions." > </quote> I remember about a year ago, our (Ausie) govt was making big press noises about a "Whole-of-Government Common Operating Environment" and I thought to myself, "this sounds like a sneaky ploy for microsoft to sneak something in". I'm disappointed to be right, once again. -- This quadcore running Gnu/Linux Gentoo: http://www.gentoo.org/main/en/about.xml

Terry Porter wrote this copyrighted missive and expects royalties: > Hardon wrote: > >> <http://it.slashdot.org/story/11/01/19/0059209/Australia-Mandates- > Microsofts-Office-Open-XML> >> >> <quote> >> "The Australian Government has released a common operating environment >> desktop policy that ? among security controls aimed at reducing the >> potential for leaks of Government data ? mandates the ECMA-376 version >> of Microsoft's Office Open XML (OOXML) standard and productivity >> suites that can 'read and write' the .docx format, effectively locking >> the country's public servants into using Microsoft Office. The policy >> [PDF] also appears to limit desktop operating systems to large, >> off-the-shelf commercial offerings at the expense of smaller >> distributions." >> </quote> > > I remember about a year ago, our (Ausie) govt was making big press noises > about a "Whole-of-Government Common Operating Environment" and I thought to > myself, "this sounds like a sneaky ploy for microsoft to sneak something > in". > > I'm disappointed to be right, once again. We once had to slog through the onerous restrictions of coding to a half-formed, monstrous DII COE thingie, that eventually was mandated to be replace by some other ill-fated initiative. But at least it was kind of platform-agnostic. Our Microsoft boon-doggle came in the form of NMCI, a farrago of services and restrictions built on the shifting sand of Windows. -- CHUBBY CHECKER just had a CHICKEN SANDWICH in downtown DULUTH!

Terry Porter wrote: >Hardon wrote: > >> <http://it.slashdot.org/story/11/01/19/0059209/Australia-Mandates- >Microsofts-Office-Open-XML> >> >> <quote> >> "The Australian Government has released a common operating environment >> desktop policy that ? among security controls aimed at reducing the >> potential for leaks of Government data ? mandates the ECMA-376 version >> of Microsoft's Office Open XML (OOXML) standard and productivity >> suites that can 'read and write' the .docx format, effectively locking >> the country's public servants into using Microsoft Office. The policy >> [PDF] also appears to limit desktop operating systems to large, >> off-the-shelf commercial offerings at the expense of smaller >> distributions." >> </quote> > >I remember about a year ago, our (Ausie) govt was making big press noises >about a "Whole-of-Government Common Operating Environment" and I thought to >myself, "this sounds like a sneaky ploy for microsoft to sneak something >in". > >I'm disappointed to be right, once again. It's the cowardly, lazy (and thus the obvious) decision for government bureaucrats to make. After all, it's not their money being spent, and there's little motivation to be efficient. -- "Microsoft doesn't see Open Document as relevant." - Erik Funkenbusch

Verily I say unto thee, that Chris Ahlstrom spake thusly: > We once had to slog through the onerous restrictions of coding to a > half-formed, monstrous DII COE thingie, that eventually was mandated > to be replace by some other ill-fated initiative. But at least it was > kind of platform-agnostic. > > Our Microsoft boon-doggle came in the form of NMCI, a farrago of > services and restrictions built on the shifting sand of Windows. It makes you wonder if the Pointy Hair's ever do any research at all, or if they just blindly accept whatever buzzword du jour floats across their desks, no matter how much time, money and effort is wasted on it. Maybe that's what GNU/Linux needs ... more buzzwordology, then it can really "deliver value" (LOL). -- K. | Ancient Chinese Proverb: http://slated.org | "The road to Hell is paved with Fedora 8 (Werewolf) on sky | ignorant twits who know nothing kernel 2.6.31.5, up 26 days | about GNU/Linux."

chrisv wrote: > Terry Porter wrote: > >> Hardon wrote: >> >>> <http://it.slashdot.org/story/11/01/19/0059209/Australia-Mandates- >> Microsofts-Office-Open-XML> >>> <quote> >>> "The Australian Government has released a common operating environment >>> desktop policy that ? among security controls aimed at reducing the >>> potential for leaks of Government data ? mandates the ECMA-376 version >>> of Microsoft's Office Open XML (OOXML) standard and productivity >>> suites that can 'read and write' the .docx format, effectively locking >>> the country's public servants into using Microsoft Office. The policy >>> [PDF] also appears to limit desktop operating systems to large, >>> off-the-shelf commercial offerings at the expense of smaller >>> distributions." >>> </quote> >> I remember about a year ago, our (Ausie) govt was making big press noises >> about a "Whole-of-Government Common Operating Environment" and I thought to >> myself, "this sounds like a sneaky ploy for microsoft to sneak something >> in". >> >> I'm disappointed to be right, once again. > > It's the cowardly, lazy (and thus the obvious) decision for government > bureaucrats to make. > > After all, it's not their money being spent, and there's little > motivation to be efficient. > Me thinks... What's the real value of policy on OOCML? There are no alternative implementation of it yet (at least I have not heard). I am unsure whether OpenOffice will support it and when. I bet Microsoft has done and will do everything it can to stop that. And they can a lot. Could it be that this whole OOXML thing is used as an excuse to continue use of Microsoft Office? They can say that it is open standard, even though I think an open standard should require open reference implementation. And have I understood right that there might be some patents problems to implement OOXML in competing products. Microsoft uses money and other way of influence to get decisions it wants from the governments. Well that is the way of business...should open source movement start a bribery fund...I can donate 100 euros. Someone , who has investigated the whole thing of OOXML please comment. Best Regards Kari

chrisv stated in post 8ofgj6ta46nl94no4ifvoopfuarn6l3i2v@4ax.com on 1/20/11 7:00 AM: > Terry Porter wrote: > >> Hardon wrote: >> >>> <http://it.slashdot.org/story/11/01/19/0059209/Australia-Mandates- >> Microsofts-Office-Open-XML> >>> >>> <quote> >>> "The Australian Government has released a common operating environment >>> desktop policy that ? among security controls aimed at reducing the >>> potential for leaks of Government data ? mandates the ECMA-376 version >>> of Microsoft's Office Open XML (OOXML) standard and productivity >>> suites that can 'read and write' the .docx format, effectively locking >>> the country's public servants into using Microsoft Office. The policy >>> [PDF] also appears to limit desktop operating systems to large, >>> off-the-shelf commercial offerings at the expense of smaller >>> distributions." >>> </quote> >> >> I remember about a year ago, our (Ausie) govt was making big press noises >> about a "Whole-of-Government Common Operating Environment" and I thought to >> myself, "this sounds like a sneaky ploy for microsoft to sneak something >> in". >> >> I'm disappointed to be right, once again. > > It's the cowardly, lazy (and thus the obvious) decision for government > bureaucrats to make. > > After all, it's not their money being spent, and there's little > motivation to be efficient. Which is why most of the Fortune 500 companies now use Open Office. Wait. Never mind. :) -- [INSERT .SIG HERE]