Comments on: Taking Control of Your Documents http://www.robweir.com/blog/2009/03/taking-control-of-your-documents.html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=taking-control-of-your-documents Thinking the unthinkable, pondering the imponderable, effing the ineffable and scruting the inscrutable Tue, 07 Feb 2012 11:20:47 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: doc http://www.robweir.com/blog/2009/03/taking-control-of-your-documents.html#comment-2966 doc Tue, 02 Feb 2010 22:38:09 +0000 http://www.robweir.com/blog/2009/03/taking-control-of-your-documents.html#comment-2966 OxygenOffice (OpenOffice on steroids) added to Puppy Linux 4.31 (multiple newer and customized versions exist as well) brings one a small, fast, and user-friendly business-quality desktop/laptop resource with a fraction of the hassles of anything MS. Why anyone would voluntarily waste their time with MS products any more is a mystery to me! OxygenOffice (OpenOffice on steroids) added to Puppy Linux 4.31 (multiple newer and customized versions exist as well) brings one a small, fast, and user-friendly business-quality desktop/laptop resource with a fraction of the hassles of anything MS. Why anyone would voluntarily waste their time with MS products any more is a mystery to me!

]]> By: Top 10 Blog Posts of 2009 http://www.robweir.com/blog/2009/03/taking-control-of-your-documents.html#comment-2651 Top 10 Blog Posts of 2009 Wed, 06 Jan 2010 02:12:58 +0000 http://www.robweir.com/blog/2009/03/taking-control-of-your-documents.html#comment-2651 [...] Taking Control of Your Documents March 2009) [...] [...] Taking Control of Your Documents March 2009) [...]

]]> By: Rob http://www.robweir.com/blog/2009/03/taking-control-of-your-documents.html#comment-2243 Rob Mon, 13 Apr 2009 13:51:00 +0000 http://www.robweir.com/blog/2009/03/taking-control-of-your-documents.html#comment-2243 "OOXML" is a non-specific reference to a range of formats that includes Ecma-376 1st Edition, ISO/IEC 29500, Ecma-376 2nd edition, as well as to the undocumented format that Microsoft Office 2007 actually writes out, which is not identical to any of these published standards.<br/><br/>Fair point about formats like TXT, HTML or Tex, but they don't help much for spreadsheet or presentations. “OOXML” is a non-specific reference to a range of formats that includes Ecma-376 1st Edition, ISO/IEC 29500, Ecma-376 2nd edition, as well as to the undocumented format that Microsoft Office 2007 actually writes out, which is not identical to any of these published standards.

Fair point about formats like TXT, HTML or Tex, but they don’t help much for spreadsheet or presentations.

]]> By: NotZed http://www.robweir.com/blog/2009/03/taking-control-of-your-documents.html#comment-2242 NotZed Mon, 13 Apr 2009 08:01:00 +0000 http://www.robweir.com/blog/2009/03/taking-control-of-your-documents.html#comment-2242 Is docx actually ooxml? I thought it wasn't?<br/><br/>I know this was a pretty specific post, but there are other alternatives too. Such as tex and it's family, html, or even plain text which suit various specific purposes far better than any 'wordprocessor' format or application. And all of which are out of reach of vendor lock-in.<br/><br/>(after having used some alternatives, the notion of using a 'wordprocessor' fills me with a certain degree of horror). Is docx actually ooxml? I thought it wasn’t?

I know this was a pretty specific post, but there are other alternatives too. Such as tex and it’s family, html, or even plain text which suit various specific purposes far better than any ‘wordprocessor’ format or application. And all of which are out of reach of vendor lock-in.

(after having used some alternatives, the notion of using a ‘wordprocessor’ fills me with a certain degree of horror).

]]> By: Tuxi http://www.robweir.com/blog/2009/03/taking-control-of-your-documents.html#comment-2239 Tuxi Tue, 31 Mar 2009 12:04:00 +0000 http://www.robweir.com/blog/2009/03/taking-control-of-your-documents.html#comment-2239 Rob,<br/><br/>IMHO you missed the first important step and that is to unhide the extensions for known file types. I would suspect a lot of folks unknowingly send these .docx, .pptx, .xlsx files without realizing they're not sending a format all can read. Rob,

IMHO you missed the first important step and that is to unhide the extensions for known file types. I would suspect a lot of folks unknowingly send these .docx, .pptx, .xlsx files without realizing they’re not sending a format all can read.

]]> By: Rob http://www.robweir.com/blog/2009/03/taking-control-of-your-documents.html#comment-2238 Rob Sat, 28 Mar 2009 15:06:00 +0000 http://www.robweir.com/blog/2009/03/taking-control-of-your-documents.html#comment-2238 Tom,<br/><br/>My guess is that Doug and I could agree on the facts, but disagree on the interpretation. Remember, vendor lock-in, from the vendor's perspective, is a very profitable business model.<br/><br/>I do have links to the two existing ODF plugins, in step 2. Office 2007 SP2 doesn't exist yet, so there is nothing I could link to. Downloading the Sun version is easy -- from the home page click the "Get it Now. FREE" link. Kinda stands out. For the CleverAge one you need to did deeper. The download link is not on the homepage. You need to go to the download tab. Pre-req's and install instructions are there as well.<br/><br/>This blog uses Blogger as the comment engine, so we're limited to the HTML subset they allow in comments, which appears to exclude q's and blockquote's. Not sure why. Tom,

My guess is that Doug and I could agree on the facts, but disagree on the interpretation. Remember, vendor lock-in, from the vendor’s perspective, is a very profitable business model.

I do have links to the two existing ODF plugins, in step 2. Office 2007 SP2 doesn’t exist yet, so there is nothing I could link to. Downloading the Sun version is easy — from the home page click the “Get it Now. FREE” link. Kinda stands out. For the CleverAge one you need to did deeper. The download link is not on the homepage. You need to go to the download tab. Pre-req’s and install instructions are there as well.

This blog uses Blogger as the comment engine, so we’re limited to the HTML subset they allow in comments, which appears to exclude q’s and blockquote’s. Not sure why.

]]> By: Tom Potts http://www.robweir.com/blog/2009/03/taking-control-of-your-documents.html#comment-2237 Tom Potts Fri, 27 Mar 2009 19:09:00 +0000 http://www.robweir.com/blog/2009/03/taking-control-of-your-documents.html#comment-2237 @Doug -- you say you disagree (of course), but I'm wondering what specifically you are disagreeing with? The article / document Rob has written is a how-to, rather than a statement of opinion. (Although, I guess, simply writing it is stating the opinion that he thinks it is useful). I'm guessing you're disagreeing with the closing statement<br/>"The important thing is that you have taken control of your documents. You are no longer dependent on Microsoft Office and its file format. You have broken free of the vendor lock-in."<br/>But I fail to see how you can disagree with this -- it is a statement of fact. Aside from the word 'important', what is there to disagree with?<br/><br/>@Rob, thanks for writing such a simple and easy-to-understand document. The only comment I have is that you might want to include more information on how people can actually get the ODF plugins installed -- at least provide a link or two, so the information remains current.<br/><br/>I was quite impressed by how you managed to stay out of the trap of Microsoft-bashing. The only place you slipped, that I noticed, is when you say "Of course, that is why Microsoft made OOXML the default format." Whether that's true or not, I don't think you can really assert that -- it sounds a little bitter.<br/><br/>Tom Potts<br/><br/>P.S. Why on earth can't I use <q> tags?! @Doug — you say you disagree (of course), but I'm wondering what specifically you are disagreeing with? The article / document Rob has written is a how-to, rather than a statement of opinion. (Although, I guess, simply writing it is stating the opinion that he thinks it is useful). I'm guessing you're disagreeing with the closing statement
"The important thing is that you have taken control of your documents. You are no longer dependent on Microsoft Office and its file format. You have broken free of the vendor lock-in."
But I fail to see how you can disagree with this — it is a statement of fact. Aside from the word 'important', what is there to disagree with?

@Rob, thanks for writing such a simple and easy-to-understand document. The only comment I have is that you might want to include more information on how people can actually get the ODF plugins installed — at least provide a link or two, so the information remains current.

I was quite impressed by how you managed to stay out of the trap of Microsoft-bashing. The only place you slipped, that I noticed, is when you say "Of course, that is why Microsoft made OOXML the default format." Whether that's true or not, I don't think you can really assert that — it sounds a little bitter.

Tom Potts

P.S. Why on earth can't I use <q> tags?!

]]> By: Doug Mahugh http://www.robweir.com/blog/2009/03/taking-control-of-your-documents.html#comment-2234 Doug Mahugh Fri, 27 Mar 2009 05:14:00 +0000 http://www.robweir.com/blog/2009/03/taking-control-of-your-documents.html#comment-2234 Hi Rob,<br/><br/>I disagree of course, but I won't bother to elaborate because our respective positions are pretty well-documented already.<br/><br/>FYI Gary McGath, another thing that's very well-documented is the Office binary formats, which you refer to above as "the undocumented .DOC format." There is over 4,500 pages of documentation here:<br/>http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc313105.aspx<br/>And a support forum for implementers here:<br/>http://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/os_binaryfile/threads/<br/><br/>- Doug Hi Rob,

I disagree of course, but I won’t bother to elaborate because our respective positions are pretty well-documented already.

FYI Gary McGath, another thing that’s very well-documented is the Office binary formats, which you refer to above as “the undocumented .DOC format.” There is over 4,500 pages of documentation here:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc313105.aspx
And a support forum for implementers here:
http://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/os_binaryfile/threads/

- Doug

]]> By: Rob http://www.robweir.com/blog/2009/03/taking-control-of-your-documents.html#comment-2232 Rob Wed, 25 Mar 2009 17:45:00 +0000 http://www.robweir.com/blog/2009/03/taking-control-of-your-documents.html#comment-2232 @Gary, I see this as similar to the arguments for and against handing out clean needles to drug addicts. Does it encourage drug use? Or does it encourage safety? I'd make the same reply: "If you are not using Microsoft Office now, then do not start. But if you are using it, then here are some tips for using it safely and for eliminating your dependency". I'm thinking of it like a public health issue, not dogmatically.<br/><br/>@Sebastian, no known relationship to Peter Weir. If I were related I'd ask him what the hell "Picnic at Hanging Rock" was all about.<br/><br/>But I believe I am related to <a HREF="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Weir" REL="nofollow" rel="nofollow">Thomas Weir</a>, who was burned for witchcraft in 1670. Heresy runs in the family, it seems. @Gary, I see this as similar to the arguments for and against handing out clean needles to drug addicts. Does it encourage drug use? Or does it encourage safety? I’d make the same reply: “If you are not using Microsoft Office now, then do not start. But if you are using it, then here are some tips for using it safely and for eliminating your dependency”. I’m thinking of it like a public health issue, not dogmatically.

@Sebastian, no known relationship to Peter Weir. If I were related I’d ask him what the hell “Picnic at Hanging Rock” was all about.

But I believe I am related to Thomas Weir, who was burned for witchcraft in 1670. Heresy runs in the family, it seems.

]]> By: Gary McGath http://www.robweir.com/blog/2009/03/taking-control-of-your-documents.html#comment-2231 Gary McGath Wed, 25 Mar 2009 16:27:00 +0000 http://www.robweir.com/blog/2009/03/taking-control-of-your-documents.html#comment-2231 Isn't what you're suggesting exactly what Microsoft has been pushing for the past decade? That people should save files in the undocumented .DOC format because it's so widely used? Isn’t what you’re suggesting exactly what Microsoft has been pushing for the past decade? That people should save files in the undocumented .DOC format because it’s so widely used?

]]> By: Sebastian Marchetti http://www.robweir.com/blog/2009/03/taking-control-of-your-documents.html#comment-2230 Sebastian Marchetti Wed, 25 Mar 2009 15:43:00 +0000 http://www.robweir.com/blog/2009/03/taking-control-of-your-documents.html#comment-2230 Thank you very much Mr. Weir ( by the way is Peter Weir, the film director, related to you? ).<br/><br/>Found this guide very useful and i will give it a try ( i use my brother PC and he "received" a copy of Office 2007, so i use it sometimes... ) Thank you very much Mr. Weir ( by the way is Peter Weir, the film director, related to you? ).

Found this guide very useful and i will give it a try ( i use my brother PC and he “received” a copy of Office 2007, so i use it sometimes… )

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.robweir.com/blog/2009/03/taking-control-of-your-documents.html#comment-2229 Anonymous Wed, 25 Mar 2009 15:24:00 +0000 http://www.robweir.com/blog/2009/03/taking-control-of-your-documents.html#comment-2229 To know more about the huge damages caused by dependency on proprietary file formats in many fields, you're all welcome to read and pass around my seminar:<br/><br/><a HREF="http://mfioretti.com/how-file-formats-can-be-used-favor-or-hamper-innovation-active-citizenship-and-really-free-markets" REL="nofollow" rel="nofollow">How file formats can be used to favor (or hamper) innovation, active citizenship and really free markets</a><br/><br/>Feedback is welcome, of course!<br/><br/>Best Regards,<br/><br/>Marco Fioretti<br/>http://mfioretti.com To know more about the huge damages caused by dependency on proprietary file formats in many fields, you’re all welcome to read and pass around my seminar:

How file formats can be used to favor (or hamper) innovation, active citizenship and really free markets

Feedback is welcome, of course!

Best Regards,

Marco Fioretti
http://mfioretti.com

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