Re: [Fsfe-uk] E-envoy and Open file formats

[Ralph Corderoy]

Hi Martyn,

> > It occurs to me to wonder whether a more fruitful strategy might be
> > to persuade the government to require MS to open up the .doc format
> > with proper, full documentation.  "It's a million to one chance, but
> > it might just work."
> 
> I reckon it would be easier to write a MS-Word Plugin for reading ooo
> files (and then you can say - if you can't read it, go download the
> plugin. (-: )

I was wondering that.

Could it be that if the aim is to have usable file formats for download
from a government site then plugins for Microsoft Office that read and
write `open' formats would be the quickest way there from here.

Whereas if the aim is to wean people away from MS Office to Open Office
then getting the latter's file format adopted as a `standard' would be a
step in the right direction, and happen to give `open' formats in the
meantime.

I think both aims are laudable.  But the difference/confusion over which
one people are talking about might be causing some of this difference of
opinion.

Cheers,


Ralph.