[CS-FSLUG] NI: Linux News Responds to Washington Technology Article on OpenDocument

[Don Parris]

On 11/23/05, Ed Hurst <ehurst at asisaid.com> wrote:
> Don Parris wrote:
> > Washington Technology writer, Doug Beizer, wrote an article focused on
> > OpenDocument.  There are some aspects of the article I felt needed to
> > be addressed.
> > http://lxer.com/module/newswire/view/48341/index.html
> >
> > My editorial response links to the original article.
>
> You are being too gentle. A little patronizing sarcasm directed toward
> MS, while less than gracious, would be more likely to win the PR battle.
> How sad that's true, though.
>

Ed, give me time.  I am bound to become cynical at some point. ;-)  In
most cases, I actually try to give people the benefit of the doubt. 
This one rankled me a bit, and I believe you're right about me being
too gentle.  Beizer writes the article as if he just transferred from
Good Housekeeping or something - like he has missed two or three major
points in his own article.  It's beyond me why a writer for a
technology publication would miss the significance of that.  Not that
it is impossible, but it sure doesn't seem likely that my Dad knows
more than this guy about OpenDocument.  If this guy missed the point,
everyone else will as well.


> Standard: a known and accepted measure, clearly stated for all to see.
> OpenDocument meets that definition. MS-XML: secret measure not yet
> submitted to anyone for acceptance, with no plans to allow anyone to see
> the whole. This is an arrogant attempt to prevent discussion of the very
> issue of discussion: What format shall best meet requirements of open
> access to all citizens? Anything with a secret component plainly fails
> that requirement, regardless what reason there may be for secrecy.
>
>

Well, if you're interested, I can introduce you to the Parris system
of measurement.  I can grant you a royalty-free license on an
individual, but you cannot sub-license my measurement system.  Oh
yeah, most people can use it.  Not everyone, but most.  8-D

Don
--
DC Parris GNU Evangelist
http://matheteuo.org/
gnumathetes at gmail.com
"Hey man, whatever pickles your list!"