OT: Massachusetts Verdict: MS Office Formats Out

[Guy Fraser]

On Mon, 2005-03-10 at 11:58 -0600, Robin Laing wrote:
> 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
We could only wish to have management that could understand these
issues. I know from experience, that management bought the MSFT
propaganda, and ignored what the IT department proposed. I am the only
person left in the office that is not using MS Office. The only thing
that allows me to keep a Linux workstation is that I am the senior
network administrator. As long as I export my documents in Excel or Word
formats management doesn't care. I just don't make ripples anymore,
because last time I brought it up I was almost forced to switch to
windows. I saved myself using the, catastrophic virus vulnerability
scenario, where all the windows machines could crash, but we would still
have one workstation to maintain the system. I am not sure if they
bought it or just gave in, but my Linux machine survived that gauntlet.