MassGov & OpenDocument

''We do not believe . . . that the answer to public records management is to force a single, less functional document format on all state agencies," Yates said.

Less functional!!! How so Mr. Yates? What is it that MS Office file format has, that can NOT be described or handled by OpenDocument? Read the OpenDocument specification again and again. If you find any, all you have to do is request adding whatever you want into the specs. You are part of the committee aren't you?

"''When someone wants to move data from one type of system to another," Yates said, ''that will be relatively easy to accomplish."

Really! so simple hah? well, we are not geniuses like you, please, be so kind and show us how. We have been trying for a long time and we are still having problems. Would care to open your file format to make it as easy as you say it is? Why don't you give your customers what they are asking and paying for? So much arrogance it is unbelieveable. May be you need to be reminded that, your are the vendor and MA State is the customer. You are furnishing the product and MA State is paying for it. Customers pay for what they ask for and want, not what they are told to have. They don't like it when they are told dictated to. Especially by an illegal monopoly.

''The goal of archiving and storing citizen-centric data is commendable . . . but this plan misses the mark," Wyne said.

Does this guy know what the issue is? The state is talking about interoperability and data exchange, not archiving and storing. Please stick to the subject and spare us your ignorance.

I am shocked, you seemed to lead a sheltered life, have you never heard of the top echelons of MS threatened to cut a company's air supply off. They did it successfully with Netscape and a long list of lesser known entities. Most recently, in sworn testimony no less than Steve Ballmer was quoted as saying he would cut off Google's air supply and he would "kill" them. Of course Ballmer says he was misquoted and the words taken out of context! In fact, he said this ingrate was leaving MS sucking the air supply from his former, beloved home and it would surely kill some of the microsofties that work so long and hard with him for the greater good of the planet and the universe! The injustice of Google stealing his best and brightest!

This in a way reminds me of a post where I extrapolated a bit to create bogus remark on another site about an extreme action by MS (however, given the trends quite plausable). I, however, cited a remark made by another very large prominent computer related firm that had previously stated this to be their future goal. Of course as can be seen in the text just above I embellished it with made up details and context. The first response was from a shocked reader asking making if I was making a prediction or it actually occurred. The second response, was from a more crusty character who observed my fictional text reeked of satire.

In these very dangerous times, where incompetence rules and we are walking the border of an Orwellian world I get my humor from wherever I can. I read your entire post and in no way disagreed the title was too tempting to pass by, hence, my use of it as a club.