When you control information, you control the minds (and the wallets)

Yesterday we published some analysis which explained the relationship between OOXML and the "renting" model for Microsoft Office. The vision is soon becoming a reality as the carrier of the curse (Office 2007 carries OOXML) is brought to more people, who will later on be forced to pay to access data, as though access to personal data requires a subscription (or access be lost).

Hyderabad: Just like a pre-paid mobile telephony card, you can now have a pre-paid Office 2007 productivity software from Microsoft in India.

This offering that comes with the purchase of new personal computer allows a user to access this software for six months and thereafter with the option of renewal with additional payments.

We are approaching a digital dark age. Bob Sutor posted a pointer to a Q & A regarding OOXML. If OOXML isn't stopped, then this lower entry barrier, as illustrated by the report above, will have people's information imprisoned. If only more people realised the severity of this...

Related articles:

• Evidence of Microsoft Influencing OOXML Votes in Nordic States



• Microsoft Memo to Partners in Sweden Surfaces: Vote Yes for OOXML



• The OOXML Problem



• Corrupt countries were more likely to support the OOXML document format



• Microsoft accused of more OOXML standards fiddling



• Microsoft Tech Ed 2007: OpenXML



• Microsoft’s secretive standards orgs in Former Yugoslavia