Bonum Certa Men Certa

ODF Alliance Newsletter: Ecuador Joins the Club

31 May 2009

Courtesy of Marino Marcich, ODF Alliance

Spread ODF






NETHERLANDS GOVERNMENT TO HOST ODF INTEROPERABILITY WORKSHOP



The first of a series of events organized by the Dutch government program Netherlands in Open Connection (NOiV) and the OpenDoc Society on 15-16 June 2009 at the Royal Library in The Hague will bring together implementers of ODF to test and discuss implementation issues with each other. The aim is to provide a hands-on interoperability testing environment in which vendors and community members can fine-tune the interoperability capabilities of their ODF implementations and develop test cases, recommendations and best practices.

http://www.odfworkshop.nl/




ECUADOR CHARTS PATH TO ODF ADOPTION



The latest government in South America to advance the use of ODF is Ecuador. Upon its approval by the Instituto Ecuatoriano de Normalización (INEN) as an Ecuadoran national standard, ODF was also adopted for sending and receiving documents by the national government's Secretariat for Information Technology (Subsecretaría de Informática), whose mission is to improve the government's management of IT projects and coordinate actions in this field in other public sector institutions in Ecuador . In South America, the governments of Brazil, Uruguay and Venezuela have already adopted ODF, as have several regional governments, including Parana (Brazil) and Misiones (Argentina).

http://www.informatica.gov.ec/index.php/noticas/7-n... (Sp)




UNESCO, SUN MICROSYSTEMS ANNOUNCE AGREEMENT TO PROMOTE OPEN TECHNOLOGIES, ODF



In a joint effort to improve education with universal access to information and knowledge, UNESCO and Sun Microsystems announced the creation of the Centre of Excellence for Adoption of Open Technologies and agreed to collaborate on the adoption of OpenOffice.org and ODF tools. Under the agreement, Sun will provide availability, expertise and training materials for its open source software, while UNESCO will focus on promoting adoption of open technologies, including identifying institutions that would become partners for providing support and training in the use of OpenOffice.org and ODF.

http://www.pr-inside.com/unesco-and-sun-micro...




ODF TURKEY LAUNCHED



ODF Turkey was officially established on April 10 in Antalya during the Turkish Informatics Association's annual Government IT Managers event. Founding members include Sun Microsystems, Oracle, IBM, the Turkish Informatics Association, the Software Freedom Initiative, and the Pardus team (a national GNU/Linux distribution). The ODF Alliance has now regional chapters in Europe and Latin America and national chapters in Brazil, Hungary, India, Latvia, Malaysia, Poland, Portugal, Turkey, and the United Kingdom.

http://www.ntvmsnbc.com/id/24957513/ (Tr)




NEW OR IMPROVED ODF APPLICATIONS SUPPORT



KOffice 2.0.0, the open source office suite that uses ODF as its native format, is now available. http://www.koffice.org/wordpress/2009/05/koffice-2...

Show Document is a free file-sharing and net meeting service that supports ODF and other file formats. http://www.showdocument.com/ds/main.jsf

Officeshots.org, a free webservice that allows users to compare the output quality of office applications, is now available in closed beta. http://lxer.com/module/newswire/view/120597/

Microsoft released Service Pack 2 for the Office 2007 suite, which provides support for ODF. http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?Famil...

RIM's Blackberry Enterprise Server v5.0 will come with support for ODF attachments. http://na.blackberry.com/eng/services/server/...

ODF .NET is an ODF API for the .NET and .NET compact framework. http://www.independentsoft.de/odf/

Zamzar will now read your text in an ODF file out loud and convert that sound file into an .mp3 file format for the Internet. http://zamzar.com/

All-Format Writer is a freeware Java J2ME-based application for your mobile device that allows you to create and send out short and simple documents in ODF and other file formats. http://teavuihuang.com/allformatwriter/

Planet ODF is a new aggregator for ODF-related blog and microblog posts. http://planet.opendocumentformat.org/

TextMaker Viewer 2009 is a free download that allows you to open, view, and print ODF and other file formats without having to install a word processor. http://mobilitysite.com/2009/04/textmaker-vi...

ODF Repair 8.12.01 recovers data from an ODF file along with its components like formula, equations and other data. http://www.vadino.com/utilities/misc/odf-repair.html

ODF Internationalization Test Suite includes more than 200 tests illustrating how to convert an ODF document to a translation file (e.g., PO or XLIFF). http://www.hforge.org/odf-i18n-tests

The OpenDocument Fellowship OpenDocument Viewer Beta 2 is now available. http://opendocumentfellowship.com/odfviewer

odfpy 0.9, the latest version of the Python library to manipulate odf files, is out with support for ODF 1.1 files and the ability to load ODF 1.2 files. http://odfpy.forge.osor.eu/

Calibre 0.5.0, the newest version of the e-book collection management tool and format converter, now supports conversion from ODF. http://calibre.kovidgoyal.net/download

Able2extract Professional 6.0 converts PDF files to ODF and many other formats. http://rapidlibrary.com/index.php?q=able2extr

Qt 4.5, the latest version of the cross-platform application and UI framework that allows you to write applications once and deploy them across many desktop and embedded operating systems without rewriting the source code, now writes to ODF. http://www.qtsoftware.com/downloads

TopByte Labs' PowerShrink 4.0 allows users to compress ODF documents and other file types. http://www.webwire.com/ViewPressRel.asp?aId=87740




NEW ALLIANCE MEMBERS



Please welcome the following new ODF Alliance members: Open Source Consortium (UK); RedNose (The Netherlands); OpenOfficeplaza.eu (The Netherlands); Hawk Partners PTE Ltd (Singapore); Griffin Brown Digital Publishing Ltd (UK); Itaipu Binacional (Brazil);GeoLabs SARL (France); Ã…pne kontorprogram pÃ¥ norsk (Norway); SERPRO - Serviço Federal de Processamento de Dados (Brazil); ACPROLL (Cameroon); Open Solutions Cameroun; Free Software Network Serbia; Kovovýroba – Jamibo (Czech Republic); ONG Centro de Software Libre (Chile); Manufacturing Automation & Software Solutions - MASS (India); Pakistan Computer Users Group; Meet the Boss (UK); Odin Prosjekt (Norway); and Soluciones Libres (Ecuador).




ODF IN THE NEWS



Federal Government Launches Data.gov [Mary Hayes Weier, InformationWeek] http://www.informationweek.com/news/government/federal...

In Office SP2, Microsoft manages to reduce interoperability [Jeremy Allison, ZDNet] http://blogs.zdnet.com/BTL/?p=18317

ODF, Net Apps, Netbooks Will Invigorate the OS Landscape [David Adams, OS News] http://www.osnews.com/story/21475/ODF_Net_Apps_Netbooks_Will_I...

On the Microsoft ODF support fiasco [The Dude] http://ditesh.gathani.org/blog/2009/05/...

Excel Criticized Over ODF Interoperability [Victoria Ho, ZDNet Asia] http://www.zdnetasia.com/news/software/0,390441...

Microsoft support for OpenDocument [Andrew Z, OpenOffice.org Ninja] http://www.oooninja.com/2009/05/microsoft-office-ope...

Does MS Office SP2 With ODF Support Really Work? Test Results Point to No. - Updated 3Xs [Groklaw] http://www.groklaw.net/article.php?story=2009050321...

For Microsoft, Open Is the Hardest Word [Mary Jo Foley, RedmondMag.com] http://redmondmag.com/columns/article.asp?editorialsid=3095

Whatever happened to OOXML [Glyn Moody, ComputerWorld UK] ttp://www.computerworlduk.com/community/blogs/index.cfm...

Whether OOXML Wins Or Not, Older MS Docs Aren't Safe [Larry Seltze, eWeek Europe] http://www.eweekeurope.co.uk/comment/whether-ooxml-wins-o...

Economists: Governments should use spending power to change PC and office software markets [OSOR.EU] http://www.osor.eu/news/economists-governments-shoul...

Open Science, Closed Source [Glyn Moody] http://opendotdotdot.blogspot.com/2009...

Teen winner of computer literacy contest [The New Straits Times] http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Wednesday/National/249549...

Vancouver endorse open standards [Robert Munro, The Inquirer] http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/1137477/vancouv...

Recent Techrights' Posts

Microsoft Windows "Market Share" Measured Around 2.7% in Iraq, Plunges to 6.5% in Saudi Arabia
Microsoft isn't on the agenda in Iraq
Video: The Rise of GNU/Linux and Free Software as Seen by RMS in 2004
DTP's founder argued that when Windows goes below 85% "market share", it'll lose its grip in the monopoly sense
When (Almost) One-Man Operations Are Disguised as Medium-Sized Companies
the CEO hides in the US (hiding from his ex-wives, 4 daughters from those wives, and Sirius staff that he defrauded)
Microsoft Actually in Trouble, Microsofters Unable to Obey Judges' Orders
For the second time in a week, Microsofters are unable to obey orders
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
 
Google Throwing Out the Search Engine With the Bathwater is a Complete and Utter 'Shi---ow' as the Company Drowns in Debt, Layoffs, and Worse
The mainstream media almost never mentions GAFAM debt
Next Month 'New Techrights' Turns Two
Next month, on the fourth week, it'll be 2 years since the migration
Operating Systems' Statistics in New Zealand: GNU/Linux Up, Windows Down to All-Time Lows
Remember all this when the media says that Microsoft became like 10 times more valuable in those 15 years (from 400 billion to 4,000 billion in alleged "worth")
GNU/Linux Share in Sweden Has Doubled Since PewDiePie, A Swede, Recommended It
months ago he moved to GNU/Linux, then told others to consider doing the same
GNU/Linux Hits Record High in Portugal
GNU/Linux picking up in Portugal
Gemini Protocol is Not Dying, It's Growing
When people say things like "Gemini Protocol is dying" the data does not support them
GNU/Linux is Thriving This Summer
It is meanwhile acknowledged, even by Microsoft pushers, that many GNU/Linux PCs will get sabotaged next month
The End of Microsoft's Reign in Spain: Windows Falls to All-Time Lows in Spanish Web Traffic
Windows sank to new lows in Spain
The Bots Never Sleep: In The Weekends, Slopfarms Dominate Google News, Majority of Entries in Google Are Fake Articles About 'Linux'
Google is fast becoming an ocean of plagiarism; the same goes for Google News, which was supposed to have extra quality control
Russia's Yandex Has Caught Up With Bing in Terms of "Market Share"
Microsoft has been firing loads of Bing workers for over 2 years already
Canada: GNU/Linux Up to Records Highs, Windows Down to Record Lows
Microsoft already announcing some plans to shut down Vista 11
Gemini Links 02/08/2025: Transducers in Typed Racket and American ISPs
Links for the day
Links 02/08/2025: Microsoft Already Kills Vista 11 SE, Smartphone Sales Down, Truth Gets "You're Fired!" in the US
Links for the day
Russia: GNU/Linux Rises to Highest Adoption Level Since Invasion of Ukraine
Moving up in the north
Microsoft's Latest Financial Report: We "Gained" 300 Million Dollars in "Goodwill" and Liabilities Grew by 32 Billion Dollars
Microsoft's debt has reached an all-time high
The Register US = The Register MS
Formerly The Register UK
Weeks After Microsoft Shut Down Its Operations in Pakistan Windows Falls to All-Time Lows
Only less than a month ago it was quietly revealed, based on laid-off staff, that Microsoft shut down in Pakistan
Criminal Behaviour is the Standard Operating Procedure at Microsoft
In the future I'll be able to tell how, when dealing with SLAPPs from Microsofters, their Microsoft services failed me and sometimes even blocked my contacts
GNU/Linux Rises to All-Time Highs in Europe
many people will get fired for buying Microsoft
All-Time Highs for GNU/Linux on the Client Desktop/Laptop, Based on Steam Survey
GNU/Linux rose to 2.89% in Steam
Links 02/08/2025: Blaugust 2025 and "Russia Declares Navalny Memoir ‘Extremist’"
Links for the day
Free Software is Not a Business Model
Go ahead, ask your friend, "how do you plan to monetise your children?"
LLM Slop Harms Real Literature, Real Web Sites, Real Journalism
LLM slop is a parasite and it'll run out of legitimate outputs
Upcoming OSI Scandal Series
The OSI is a rogue actor because it serves Microsoft in exchange for money
Slopwatch: The Issue Persists, But the Consensus in the Media Changes as Google Enrages It With LLM Plagiarism
We've meanwhile assessed the latest output from Linuxiac
IRC Proceedings: Friday, August 01, 2025
IRC logs for Friday, August 01, 2025
Links 02/08/2025: İstanbul Retail Inflation Reaches 42.48%, US FBI Opens Office in New Zealand
Links for the day
Gemini Links 02/08/2025: ZFS, LLM Hype, and Fake Modules
Links for the day
Links 01/08/2025: Health, Conflict, and Attacks on Freedom of the Press
Links for the day
Microsoft's Debt Exploded by 15.4 Billion Dollars in the Past 9 Months Alone (Despite All the Layoffs)
As of minutes ago, at 6PM on a Friday, the numbers are made public
Meeting (Webchat) With Maria Arranz Gomez, Florian Grundies, Jürgen Janda and Konstantinos Kortsaris Confronts EPO Management About Breaking Promises and Crushing Workers
The lack of consistent messages suggests plans other than what's advertised and the lack of consultation (secrecy) likewise
Links 01/08/2025: "The Great British Firewall" and U.S. Army Sponsors Palantir
Links for the day
For Second Day in a Row, Top Story in The Register MS is "Microsoft Says"
The editor in chief exercises control over everybody else
LLMs as Attack Method Against Free Software and Programming
DDoS in "hey hi" (slop) clothing
Stability and Reliability, Backward Compatibility
I don't fancy relying on social control media as "sources"
What "the News" Looks Like in 2025
The "says" (or "sez") phenomenon
History Will Be Distorted, Sometimes Intentionally, Under the Guise of Intelligence (Manipulated/Curated Slop)
Militarised misinformation or military-grade chaff is a national security threat, even domestically
Financial Engineering Companies: A Company Worth 4 Trillion Dollars Would Not Borrow 100+ Billion Dollars at Interest Rates Like Today's
Many headlines perpetuate the lie Microsoft had just 2 waves of layoffs
Microsoft is Googlebombing "Linux" While Paying Former News Sites to Publish SPAM
How much lower will IDG sink?
Google as a 'Bullshit Generator' Disguised as Intelligence
It'll probably cause Google to get sued a lot, both by individuals and companies
As Expected, Google in the UK Now Experiments With Slop Instead of Web Search
At this point more people ought to stop and think: Does Google's search engine deserve trust?
The Data You Don't Give Away is Your Advantage
stop sharing data that does not need to be shared
Being Obedient or Doing the Right Thing
The world always changes for the better because of people who think "Outside the Box", not the cogs
Gemini Links 01/08/2025: Happy Hacking Keyboards and New Gemini Arrivals
Links for the day
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Thursday, July 31, 2025
IRC logs for Thursday, July 31, 2025
Sabotaging Linux on Behalf of Microsoft With UEFI 'Secure' Boot (De Facto Remote 'Kill Switch'), Then Defaming, Stalking and Harassing Critics of 'Secure' Boot for 12 Years, Then SLAPPing Their Spouses and Them
The sorts of stubborn lunatics we've been dealing with
Moving on in Techrights, Geeks Gonna Geek
In the coming weeks we plan to focus (as we explained last week) on patents, GNU/Linux issues, and the occasional philosophical essays
Slopwatch: Google News Has Lost the Plot
Almost the majority of articles returned for "Linux" are fakes
Links 31/07/2025: Australia Restricts YouTube Access, Personal Privacy at Risk
Links for the day
Links 31/07/2025: Spotify Collapses and Spotify Now Forcing Some Users to Undergo Face-Scanning
Links for the day
A Lot of Supposedly "Successful" Businesses Are Just Debt-Racking Vessels Without Any Prospects of Financial Sustainability
The probability of bankruptcy of any business is more than 0%
theregister.com: The Voice of Microsoft US?
It basically sold out
Yes, You Can Love and Adore Things Whilst Also Criticising Them
Is society being divided and groomed/primed to be resistant to constructive criticism?
Links 31/07/2025: War in Ukraine, Security News, and Cyberattacks Against Journalists on the Rise
Links for the day
Gemini Links 31/07/2025: Fake Money and Gemini Diaries
Links for the day
An Illusion and Cult Worship of Magnitude (Ubiquity as "Victory")
GNU has been around for over 40 years and it'll likely continue to exist for another 40 (in some form)
Google: From Pointing to Relevant Sites to Pointing to Social Control Media to Actually Parroting Social Control Media as "Facts"
Google has become a misinformation company
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Wednesday, July 30, 2025
IRC logs for Wednesday, July 30, 2025