From: Adam <""4thwormcastfromthemolehill\"{at}the field.near
the bridge">

mike wrote:
> On Mon, 14 May 2007 00:26:02 -0400, "Rich Gauszka"
>  wrote:
>
>> But the way that Microsoft is trying to shore up its business
>> model is shameful and shows just how vulnerable it really is.
>
>
> It's the dying gasp of a dinosaur.
>
>   /m

It's the effects of Govs no longer tolerating proprietary formats.

e.g. the latest:

http://www.consortiuminfo.org/standardsblog/article.php?story=20070513180219689

"Norway is the latest European country to move closer to mandatory
government use of ODF (and PDF).  According to a press release provided in
translation to me by an authoritative source, Norway now joins Belgium,
Finland, and France (among other nations) in moving towards a final
decision to require such use. The text of the press release, as well as
some of the statements made at the press conference where the announcement
was made, are appended at the end of this blog post.

The Norwegian recommendation was revealed by Minister of Renewal Heidi
Grande Roys, on behalf of the Cabinet-appointed Norwegian Standards
Council. If adopted, it would require all government agencies and services
to use these two formats, and would permit other formats (such as OOXML) to
be used only in a redundant capacity. Reflecting a pragmatic approach to
the continuing consideration of OOXML by ISO/IEC JTC 1, the recommendation
calls for Norway to "promote the convergence of the ODF and OOXML, in
order to avoid having two standards covering the same usage." "


Once the format is no longer MS's to control then the Office suite (one of
MS's 2 major earners goes to the wall.

At that point (esp with cross platform office suites) & with good
alternative "other office tools" e.g. email, web browsers etc
then it's all over in the medium/long term


& that's before the web apps etc really kick in (e.g google etc.)

You can only milk a cow so long before you need to get a new calf & MS
managed this with Office following on from Windows (adding to the herd) but
then......?

Proper web standards (vs both the Netscape & MS "our stds")
& ODF are the 2 MS killers.

Now they're trying the SCO play (lots of infringements of v.
.....remunerative patents....right at the heart of the
competition....etc.etc.) & ........it didn't play out well last time
so.....How well this time?

It's a sign of weakness not strength & makes me wonder how well the XP
> Vista move really is going & is going to go. XP is good enough for
most....& if no new drivers for old kit......then may as well try your
old kit with.....a brand spanking new....linux....


Adam

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