OT: Massachusetts Verdict: MS Office Formats Out

[Robin Laing]

Jeff Vian wrote:
> On Sat, 2005-10-01 at 23:16 -0400, Nancy Merckle wrote:
> 
>>On Fri, 30 Sep 2005, Tom Pangborn wrote:
>>
>>
>>>"... and word was no
>>>longer available ; How would  ..."
>>>
>>>Wouldn't you just install the old version of Word, the one the file(s)
>>>were created with? Wait a minute, we're pretending aren't we.
>>
>>We weren't pretending when higher ups decided that we would now all be on 
>>a Word standard.  This required all official documents for our office to 
>>be produced in Word format.  After 18 years of a Word Perfect standard, 
>>there were a lot of legacy documents to be converted to Word.  Neither 
>>Word nor Word Perfect was able to convert complex documents from one 
>>format to the other.  Many hours were spent (by others) converting 
>>documentation from WP to Word.  There are now less than a dozen licenses 
>>for WP in the division, so finding someone to convert a legacy document 
>>can be difficult.
>>
>>When OOo announced its upgraded Word Perfect filter about 18 months ago, I 
>>was experimenting with it and a co-worker mentioned a document with tables 
>>that he had tried to convert with no success.  He e-mailed me the 
>>document, I opened it in OOo, saved it in Word format and e-mailed it 
>>back.  It may not have been perfect, but he was very happy.
>>
>>With OOo, I'm no longer concerned about loosing access to my Word Perfect 
>>Documents.  Also, I can read Word docs, without having to send $ to M$ for 
>>the privilege.  (It is provided at work, but I don't even have to use it 
>>there.)
>>
>>My point is that sometimes old versions of the software are not available, 
>>having been removed for security purposes, non-renewal of the license, or 
>>the only remaining copy of the software died on a dead hard drive.
>>
>>
>>Nancy
>>
> 
> And that scenario IMHO is what using an open document format is expected
> to eliminate.  Using one proprietary format (WP) and having to convert
> to another (M$) is a nightmare.  If the format were open then it would
> not matter which work processing tool you were using.  They all could
> read/write it.
> 

We are working on a new archival system for our work.  Not only 
documentation but data files and many other file types.  I pushed from 
day one that all saved and archived formats must be open formats for 
just the reason you post.

-
Robin Laing