Re: OOXML [was Re: GNOME Foundation Board Meeting Minutes :: 7/6/07]

[Philip Van Hoof <pvanhoof gnome org>]

On Wed, 2007-10-31 at 19:58 -0400, Richard Stallman wrote:

> Are you seriously suggesting that it's in the best interests of our
>     users, of GNUmeric users and Abiword users, not to be able to open OOXML
>     files? I disagree with your statement that most in the community want
>     the standardisation process to fail - I would suggest that most want the
>     standardisation effort to be sincere.
> 
> Microsoft's goal is, by one means or another, to defeat free software
> which it now considers a serious threat.  Whatever they do, it will not
> be a sincere standardization effort that offers no obstacle to free
> software implementions.

This is just your opinion, Richard. Not a fact. On top of that ...

If the only argumentation you have is that you think Microsoft will try
to defeat free software, then the point you are trying to make is not
only obvious but it's also silly to therefore assume that no others will
want to cooperate with that competitor. Even within the group of free
software developers, there will be such people.

And that's fine.

Competing is a good thing, and in my opinion it's good that Microsoft
competes with us. This keeps us sharp and focused.

Competition has never been a bad thing for mankind. In fact has it been
an excellent invention of nature for all living species. That includes
the free software warriors.


-- 
Philip Van Hoof, software developer
home: me at pvanhoof dot be 
gnome: pvanhoof at gnome dot org 
http://www.pvanhoof.be/blog