Re: [odf-adoption] Which ODF are we talking about?

[Daniel Carrera <daniel.carrera@zmsl.com>]

Burg, HJM (Harm Jan) van (INNOVATIE) wrote:
> I have seen the presentation of a SUN employee on behalf
> of the ODF TC on the OASIS adoption forum in London a couple of months
> back.
> The message was clear: "users have to choose" Open office or Microsoft
> office.

I guess I understand a Sun employee promoting his company's product. But 
there are more choices than just OOo and MS. For example, IBM Workplace 
supports OpenDocument, and I expect that some day Lotus Notes will too. 
I also hope that Microsoft will support OpenDocument at some point. If 
enough large customers want it (MA, Australia, EU), they will.

> This TC has the potential to lift itself above the battles and work on
> the consensus or get sucked into one of the competing fractions. 

I'm not sure what you mean by factions. If the faction is open standards 
and a free market, count me in that faction :) But if you are thinking 
of a specific company (e.g. Sun) then no, you won't see me supporting 
any one-company approach, regardless of the company. Open standards are 
there to make the market fair for everyone.

> It might be clear where I stand. I am not willing to choose for a vendor
> at this point I want to help, helping users where a document format sits
> in the life line of their organisation.

The whole purpose of open formats is to not be forced to choose one 
vendor. At the OpenDocument Fellowship we use the motto "the choice that 
lets you choose" :)

> As government employee I am willing to use buying power to help
> achieving common goals. Standards should not be in the competitive
> arena. They are there for enabling end users. Some governments feel so
> strong about that that they join OASIS to help. That means that our work
> in this TC could be very political. We have a opportunity here.

Great to have you on board!

> Ps sorry for my English (not my native tongue)

Most of us here aren't native speakers :) I'm hispanic, Erwin is German 
and Charles is French. So no worries.

Best,
Daniel.
-- 
      /\/`) http://opendocumentfellowship.org
     /\/_/
    /\/_/   A life? Sounds great!
    \/_/    Do you know where I could download one?
    /