Microsoft could “open” its proprietary standard by releasing the programming or “source code” that specifies it. But that would undermine its monopoly. Then you could download word processing programs that compete with Microsoft safe in the knowledge that if someone e-mailed you a Word file you could read, modify, save and return it rather than fight your way through compatibility bugs or even the blue screen of death.
“Open source” programs offer a remarkable alternative that’s giving Microsoft the willies. Their source code is available to users enabling them to continually improve the programs.
The leading open source office suite is “OpenOffice.org” and it’s your regular nightmare for Microsoft. It’s backed by software giant Sun Microsystems and it’s free!
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I’m amazed that no country has imposed an “access regime” on Microsoft requiring it to open its file standards. But maybe no one needs to now. The US State of Massachusetts has just determined that open standards are an “overriding imperative” of democracy itself.
Refusing to have its public documents subject to proprietary restrictions on access and “locked up ... perhaps unreadable in the future”, it will now save all public documents in “open standards” such as the newly created open standard “OpenDocument” (ODF).
And guess which office suite supports ODF? OpenOffice.org, in a major upgrade it’s just released. See why Bill Gates has recently been seen on long walks dolefully humming those old Bee Gees lines “The lights all went out in Massachusetts”?
If Microsoft Word supports the new open standard, reading and writing ODF files, then ODF could quickly replace .DOC as the most widely used format - dramatically reducing the “network effect” and with it much of Microsoft’s monopoly.
But if Microsoft keeps refusing to support ODF, Massachusetts will use competing software that does. European governments like Norway have announced similar policies. Each one is no great loss for Microsoft in itself. But as the Internet showed, once open standards gain “critical mass” what user in their right mind would want to be locked into a closed standard - unable to interact with others?
Australia’s federal and state governments should jump on the bandwagon. So should schools and businesses wanting to do their little bit to make the world a better place. They could well do themselves a favour in the process. They’d certainly save on software purchases. And they could hasten the day when we wax nostalgic “Remember the old days when you had to pay for word processing software”.
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But whether they do or not, I’m steering clear of Microsoft as an investment.
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