Xandros and Microsoft to build Open Source translator

When I read stories like this I think of the KISS (Keep it Simple Stupid) Principle. Why make all these complications with document translators when the simple, easy solution is readily at hand -- adopt ODF for *all* documents. Sigh.

This just demonstrates the fact that the Microsoft/Xandros, Linspire, Novell interoperability agreements are not really about interoperability so much as they are about creating a situation where those Linux vendors contribute to the continued use of Microsoft networking and document standards, and in the process enable those proprietary standards to become de facto standards.

Ofcourse. Microsoft would love it if Linux/OOo had near-perfect OOXML support. As long as MS Office (without ODF support) has majority marketshare it means that the entire office productivity landscape will be a big one-way street from ODF to OOXML. That is what MS is attempting. You can get into OOXML but not away from it.

Well, well, well. What do you know!

How many companies has MS contracted with to develop ODF-OOXML translator? A company in France, another in WA, then Novell, now Xandros. It seems MS is employing quite a few outfits just to develop this translator. I guess it is just conducting normal business.

Did I read that right? That it will be open source and then only available through Xandros? Can someone tell me how that works?

>Can someone tell me how that works?

Badly is my guess.

oof I did kind of set myself up for that one.

Gotta love dino, runs screaming from the room when the bad puns start but he cant pass up a straight line to save his life.

Quoting:That it will be open source and then only available through Xandros?

Open Source < FOSS.

I can make the source of something I write available, but under a non-free license.

>runs screaming from the room when the bad puns start

You got that wrong -- I pun from the bathroom when the runs start streaming.

"It seems MS is employing quite a few outfits just to develop this translator."

That's four different translators. They'll all work a little differently. Then Microsoft will shout out to the world how much "work" they've accomplished and how much they've "contributed" to Open Source. In fact they will have helped to fracture the Open Source method. We may not know what their plans are but there is no doubt that their dream is to kill or neutralize Open Source.

This is bad news.

Allowing Open XML to become a standard is yet another way that M$ can cement its monopoly position - it will control the standard so any open source translator will always be playing catch-up.

It really is disheartening that M$, yet again, appears to wiggling out of having any sort of external control over it.