[Year 12 IT Apps] ITA List document sharing

[ken price]

The document file format problem has wider implications and is a global
issue worth considering. It might even be appropriate as a curriculum topic
(and hopefully not too far off topic..)

Organisations such as the European Commission and NATO have expressed
concern that the use of proprietary document formats such as MS Word can
lead to alienation of those people (and nations) who do not use that format
for personal or financial reasons. They are also concerned that proprietary
formats lock organisations into one technology.

Quote:
"Because of its specific role in society, the public sector must avoid [a
situation where] a specific product is forced on anyone interacting with it
electronically. Conversely, any document format that does not discriminate
against market actors and that can be implemented across platforms should be
encouraged. Likewise, the public sector should avoid any format that does
not safeguard equal opportunities to market actors to implement
format-processing applications, especially where this might impose product
selection on the side of citizens or businesses. In this respect
standardisation initiatives will ensure not only a fair and competitive
market but will also help safeguard the interoperability of implementing
solutions whilst preserving competition and innovation."

They have largely agreed on an Open Document format, mandated in some cases
(eg all NATO correspondence). So has Australia's National Archives.

Interestingly this had some implications. As Microsoft Word was not an open
standard, it would have meant that Microsoft would have been unable to
tender for provision of office software across the public sector in most of
Europe. Oddly enough MS quickly deveoped its own open document standard and
I understand will support ODF shortly (might already do so)

http://ec.europa.eu/idabc/en/document/3439
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OpenDocument_adoption

I guess organisations generally need to be a little cautious about seeing
commercial file formats (or operating systems, or hardware design, or ...)
as being standards based solely on current market penetration. There are
social and ethical issues as well as practical issues to be considered
here.

As with most things in IT, some students might find this worth
investigating.

Cheers,
Ken Price
TASITE Tasmania
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