Java / JDBC (ODF all versions)

["Alex Brown" <alexb@griffinbrown.co.uk>]

Dear all,

ODF database connectivity is exclusively described, in normative text, in terms of Java™ and JDBC™ technology (see e.g. 11.2.9).

The ISO/IEC directives state:

"Proprietary trade names (i.e. trade marks) for a particular product should as far as possible be avoided, even if they are in common use." (6.6.3)

If proprietary names are used, they need to be accompanied by trademark symbols (both JTC 1 and Sun insist on this).

However, more, generally is it really the case that conformant ODF applications can only connect to databases in environments that have Java/JDBC installed?

If so, this feature should be re-written so as not to mandate particular proprietary, non-standard technologies. Instead a level of generalisation or indirection should be introduced and maybe an informative annex illustrating how this is then used with Sun (or other) technologies...

- Alex.