How well is ODF and OOXML supported in different languages?
I started off by choosing six common languages used by application and Web developers, then I went and looked for what libraries are available for each document format:
Language ODF OOXML Python Yes No
Perl Yes No Ruby Yes No PHP Yes Started
Java Yes Started Microsoft C# Yes Yes
Do you remember the August meeting of the Technical Committee in Hungary over whether to approve MS OOXML as a standard? It was one of the places where the scandal-rocked ISO process bubbled up and over into headlines. In that country, the issue was whether proper procedures were followed in the voting. There is now a report and transcript of the meeting [PDF] in Hungarian, of course, 27 pages long, which is now made public.
Comments
Stephane Rodriguez
2007-11-28 22:03:54
I especially "like" their reference to the PHP project for OOXML and the Java project for OOXML, started by a Microsoft employee, and an employee of a Microsoft shop (Microsoft regional director, close to Microsoft's Doug "Mr Bribery" Mahugh), respectively.
The C# project for OOXML is, you guessed it, from Microsoft. And when you research it, it does not take long to learn that all it does is abstract the ZIP library a bit. Sounds like Microsoft's COM object models will still be the de facto libraries to do anything substantial with Word/Excel/Powerpoint for a long time to come. And of course, Microsoft's COM object model means a running instance of the corresponding applications, i.e. nothing new under the sun when it comes to Office being the trojan horse to lock-in to Windows.
Speaks volume about how much non-Microsoft people like OOXML...
Not much apparently.
Roy Schestowitz
2007-11-28 22:14:39
It has already emerged that Microsoft uses grassroots tactics to pretend that there is support for OOXML in the UK. It also created various Web sites that it accommodated to give the illusion that 'the world' is embracing OOXML. This includes an 'open source' project for accessibility (the million-dollar FUD card used in MA and elsewhere). All of this was covered here before, along with extensive references.
About Doug, I didn't know about a briberies connection (I'm aware of several others), but I'm pretty certain that it was him who openly admitted that OOXML is all about Microsoft's financial interests. Boy, was that shot in the foot!
I continue to stress this, even using graphical banners: The only driver of OOXML is a mixture of lies, manipulation, bribery, and more. I am absolutely appalled (and angered) because I persistently research this thing and I see more than most people do. It's not good for my blood pressure. :-)
Stephane Rodriguez
2007-11-29 08:38:31
It costs nothing to start a new project hosted at some whatever forge-like website. So this is basically Microsoft dressing up for the open-source cause.
This propaganda is handy at a time when ECMA/ISO are involved. Anyone who would have followed this masquerade knows that as soon as Microsoft gets the ISO timestamp for the poorly engineered XML format they created (it's all paid for, voters are being asked by Microsoft to vote favorably), all those projects will just vanish and never mentioned again.
With the notable exception of Jody Goldberg's Gnumeric who is doing an outstanding Microsoft shill job. Not to mention Novell's Windows edition of OpenOffice.
Roy Schestowitz
2007-11-29 10:34:49
By the way, I did my favourite searches on the Tube earlier. Microsoft has just stuck some OOXML videos with an open source slant in there (accessibility pitch/FUD).