[Year 12 IT Apps] ITA List document sharing

[Robert]

Hi Ken!

Thank you for all that info.

Robert Hind (Semi-retired)
Ashwood and Traralgon
robert at yinnar.com


  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: ken price 
  To: Year 12 IT Applications Teachers' Mailing List 
  Sent: Tuesday, February 17, 2009 3:24 PM
  Subject: Re: [Year 12 IT Apps] ITA List document sharing


  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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