ODF Format for Danish Government Documents
Labels: e-documents, Electronic Records Management, ODF, OOXML
Labels: e-documents, Electronic Records Management, ODF, OOXML
Labels: e-documents, ODF, OOXML, XML
Labels: ANU, Electronic Commerce, Electronic publishing, Electronic Records Management, ODF, OOXML
Labels: ODF, OOXML, open office
On Friday 14 December 2007 the Cyberspace Law and Policy Centre hosts a symposium to explore issues raised by the proposed OO XML (Open Office XML) document format standard from Microsoft, to assist consideration of the Australian response to the proposal through Standards Australia. Expert commentators from a range of perspectives will present written and oral summaries of the issues, and there will be detailed discussion of the most significant of these. There is proposed informal participation from Standards Australia and experts associated with them in the discussion.
There are two sessions, Technical and Legal. There will be a preliminary 'Background Paper' on the Legal area, and a list of 'top 10 topics' for the Technical.
We hope to explore the underlying realities of OO XML as well as the more political dialogue, which can often 'muddy the waters.' While there are no doubt passions, commercial interests and well-established positions on many of the issues, we encourage participants to come out from behind their settled opinions and engage in open debate and discussion. Outcomes of the day may include:
- a better appreciation of arguments and explanations surrounding the more significant issues, for those seeking to make further submissions to assist formulation of an Australian response in February 2008; and
- a paper that covers points raised from all sides.
Preliminary OO XML Symposium programme
(comments welcome - subject to change)1. Technical session
The Technical Session will present technical and practical considerations when looking at implementing OOXML. It will include experts in this space, government, user and industry perspectives, and the top technical concerns raised in comments submitted through the ISO process in the last year, both from Australia and New Zealand, and also internationally. There will be time for open discussion, and attendees are welcome to participate fully.
0830 - Breakfast
0900 - Introductory expert commentary
0930 - Expert Commentary 2
1000 - Government and user perspectives
1030 - 20 mins coffee break
1050 - Facilitated discussion - top 10 issues raised from the global comments about OOXML; short position statements from key players?
1250 - Wrap up and thanks
1300 - Finish and Lunch2. Legal Session
The Legal Session will be focussed on the proponent's 'covenant not to sue' (later recast in the form of a promise) in relation to a range of potential litigation topics, particularly intellectual property such as copyrights entitlements; its practical effectiveness as a protection removing the need for a range of implementers to seek further expensive legal risk management advice; and other issues such as patents.
1400 - Expert commentary 1
1430 - Expert commentary2
1500 - Facilitated discussion - covenant not to sue etc.
1540 - 20 mins coffee break
1600 - Facilitated discussion - solutions, other issues?
1650 - Wrap up and thanksContact feedback [at] cyberlawcentre.org to express interest in one or both sessions, and reserve a place.
Labels: Cyberspace Law and Policy Centre, OOXML
Labels: ISO, ODF, OOXML, Standards Australia
Standards Australia has cast a vote to abstain from the ISO/IEC JTC1 ballot to adopt the DIS 29500 Office Open XML format draft standard as an International Standard.There is an article on this: Australian apathy results in OOXML abstain vote by Liam Tung, ZDNet Australia, 03 September 2007. Also there is a map showing votes cast (note that the usual color convention is reversed: red shows for and green against).
The decision to cast an abstain vote from the current ballot follows months of consultation and a clear lack of consensus in Australia on this issue by stakeholders. ...
From: "Australia abstains on Office Open XML vote", Media Release, Standards Australia, 3 September 2007
Labels: ISO, OOXML, Standards Australia
European Union (IDABC)
http://europa.eu.int/idabc/en/document/2592/5588
"The use of open document formats, such as WordML, improves interoperability"
"Microsoft should consider the merits of submitting XML formats to an international standards body of their choice"
ODF design goal - from the actual spec itself:
OXML design goal-from the ECMA spec
Here is where OpenXML differs radically in its design goals from other formats:The goal is to enable the implementation of the Office Open XML formats by the widest set of tools and platforms, fostering interoperability across office productivity applications and line-of business systems, as well as to support and strengthen document archival and preservation, all in a way that is fully compatible with the large existing investments in Microsoft Office documents.
ODF
Narrative Transactional
OXML
Scenario | Example |
---|---|
Document Assembly Server-based or user-assisted construction of documents from archived content or database content | Create sales reports from financial and forecast data stored in a CRM system |
Content Reuse Much easier to move content between documents, including different document types | Apply content stored in Word documents to Web pages quickly and efficiently |
Content Tagging Add domain-specific metadata to document content to enable custom solutions | Tag presentations using a specific taxonomy to improve knowledge management efficiency |
Document Interrogation Query document repositories based on custom data, content types or document metadata | Search for all documents containing a specific company name or sales contact |
Document Sanitization Remove unwanted content like comments or embedded code from your document when appropriate | Remove all tracked changes and comments from a Word document before it is published |
Facilitating a publishing process - Authoring, collaborating, sharing, printing etc
Facilitating person-process interoperability
interoperabilityLinking user’s publishing activities and structured business data as part of business process – all in one XML document.
User works on document with structured data from a back end system - document to update the system - all within a familiar Office environment.
Open XML: Microsoft -> Ecma-> ISO (via fast track: FAST TRACK)
ODF: SUN -> OASIS -> ISO (via fast track: PAS)
Open XML: : Microsoft -> OSP and CNS
ODF: SUN -> OpenDocument Patent Statement
Open XML: Tech issues raised through ballot -> BRM
ODF: Tech Issues raised by 8 countries
Labels: ISO, Microsoft, ODF, OOXML, Open XML, Standards Australia
Some Thoughts Concerning DIS 29500 "OOXML"
Rob Weir
IBM
robert_weir(a)us.ibm.com
http://www.robweir.com/blog
(c) 2007 IBM Corporation
What is a Standard?
"[A] document, established by consensus and approved by a recognized body, that provides, for common and repeated use, rules, guidelines or characteristics for activities or their results, aimed at the achievement of the optimum degree of order in a given context
NOTE Standards should be based on the consolidated results of science, technology and experience, and aimed at the promotion of optimum community benefits."
-- ISO/IEC Guide 2:2004, Definition 3.2
FastTrack V Ecma's "value"
OOXML: a rushed standard
The technical case against DIS 29500 / OOXML
OOXML does not satisfy the criteria commonly used to define standards :
Standards should be repeatable, optimal/best practices and interoperable
Ref. ISO, British Standards Institute, ISO/IEC JTC1 Directives
1. NOT Precise, Repeatable, Common
"Compatibility Settings" of WordProcessingML, such as "autoSpaceLikeWord95", do not provide for repeatable practices. Many other properties are undefined.
2. NOT aspirational and a consolidation of best practices
Very little use of the consolidated best practices of the industry such as XForms, Xlink, SMIL and MathML
3. NOT Interoperable and Portable
Heavily tied to Microsoft Office applications and Windows, to the detriment of interoperability and portability. Example: clipboard only supports Microsoft formats, such as EMF, and WMF. Supports Internet Explorer, but not Firefox, Opera or Safari.
4. LACKS Cultural and Linguistic Adaptability
Example: NETWORKDAYS() defines a weekend in a way that will be improper in most parts of the Middle East.
Recommendations
- Vote "No, with comments," which is the JTC1-prescribed way of indicating "conditional approval" (JTC1 Directives, Section 9.8)
- Recommend that OOXML be resubmitted as normal working item in JTC1/SC34: V Split into a multi part standard: WordProcessingML, SpreadsheetML, DrawingML, Office Open Math Markup, VML, etc. V Have each part progress independently, at its own speed, within normal ISO processing stages V Encourage participation from OASIS to identify opportunities for harmonization with existing ISO 26300 "ODF"
- OOXML, as the default format in MS Office, is important. But as a standard it is full of inconsistencies, omissions, inaccuracies and errors. No standard is perfect, but OOXML, in its current state, does even not meet the minimum requirements.
Labels: ISO, Microsoft, ODF, OOXML, Open XML, Standards Australia
Here are the comments I submitted to Standards Australia on the proposed Draft International Standard ISO/IEC 29500, "Information technology - Office Open XML file format". Please note that these comment are as an individual IT professional and do not necessarily represent the views of any organization I may be associated with:
The British Standards Institute have taken the innovative step of using a Wiki to help prepare input on how the UK should vote on ISO ballot on Office Open XML/OOXML ( DIS 29500). There is a set of very carefully prepared detailed UK comments on the draft standard.
The UK comments typically are suggesting that proprietary and obsolete Microsoft features in the standard be replaced with non-proprietary and more up to date ones. An example is to replace an old hash algorithm from Excell with a more robust one.
The comments get a little cheeky at times, such as suggesting a "doWrongDateCalculationsLikeExcel" tag. But as far as I can see these changes are feasible and would make the standard better at the cost of causing some minor inconvenience to Microsoft. However, if OOXML needs changes to make it suitable as an international standard, then its major feature (compatibility with Microsoft Office) is lost.
There is already an XML based international standard for office document formats: OpenDocument ISO/IEC 26300:2006. ODF has similar functionality to the proposed OOXML.
There is work already underway to provide translation between OOXML and ODF. When such a translation available, Microsoft Office users can then use the existing international standard format. There would therefore be no need top adopt OOXML as an international standard.
Both OOXML and ODF are derived from existing legacy proprietary software packages: OOXML from Microsoft Office and ODF from Sun Star Office (later adopted for OpenOffice.Org). ODF is based on newer software and so has fewer quirks. Both are based on XML formats, but neither is directly compatible with web browsers or other web software.
A better approach would be to base the word processor, which is the most used part of the office document format, on a modern web XML standards, such as XHTML 2. Work on the Integrated Content Environment (ICE), Digital Scholar's Workbench and ACS Digital Library show some of the possibilities. Have shown the feasibility of this for word processing documents and to a limited extent with presentations.The way offices work and use documents is changing. The idea of a static monolithic document, which is a facsimile of a printed document is changing. Documents are becoming collections of links to data at different locations. Traditional office formats will not be usable in this environment. Work on modular document formats, incorporating techniques such as Microformats will allow more flexible documents. These can then incorporate new ways of working, such as social networking.
From: Message to Standards Australia, Tom Worthington 21 August 2007.
Labels: ISO, Microsoft, ODF, OOXML, Open XML, Standards Australia
Draft International Standard (DIS), ISO/IEC 29500
9 August 2007
Information technology — Office Open XML file formats
Standards Australia, 20 Bridge St, SydneyIntroductionAlistair Tegart (Standards Australia Program Manager, Forum Chair), opened the forum at 10am and welcomed the participants to the Standards Australia ad-hoc forum on ISO/IEC 29500 Information technology — Office Open XML file formats. The purpose of this meeting was to provide a forum for discussion by interested parties to advise Standards Australia in the development of its submission for approval by the Communications IT & eCommerce (CITeC) Standards Sector Board. Invitees to this meeting included industry, government, academic and other interested parties.
Alistair Tegart outlined the aim of the forum, which was to gather information and explore creative ways to provide a uniquely Australian consensus position. Standards Australia will utilise the forum as one of the mechanisms to formulate a recommendation to the CITeC Sector Board. He also outlined the process that needs to be followed for providing written comments by 21 August 2007. The Standards Australia CITeC Sector Board will consider all the feedback and comments received when formulating a submission and position which will be forwarded to ISO/IEC JTC 1.
Background
The European Computer Manufactures' Association International (ECMA International) adopted and published the Microsoft Open Office XML specification as ECMA 376 late in 2006. ECMA approached ISO/IEC JTC1, the international standards organisation for information technology, seeking to use the fast track process to elevate its standard to an International Standard status late in 2006. The JTC1 enquiry process opened on 1 January 2007, for a 30 day period.
In accordance with the JTC1 Directives (their process rules) Member countries were asked to list any apparent contradictions with existing standards (including ISO/IEC 26300: Information technology - Open Document Format for Office Applications. Some 19 countries did this, including Australia. The Standards Australia Communications, IT and e-Commerce (CITeC) Standards Sector Board (SSB) developed and approved Australia’s contribution.
ECMA provided a response to all contradictions raised and subsequently JTC1 made the document available as ISO/IEC DIS 29500 Information technology - Office Open XML file formats standard for actual balloting by the ISO/IEC member nations.
Voting options available to Australia
As a Participating Member of JTC1, Australia has an obligation review and submit a vote on the document. The options open are:
Approve
Approve with comment
Abstain
Disapprove with comment - disapproval of the DIS (or DAM) for technical reasons to be stated, with proposals for changes that would make the document acceptable (acceptance of these proposals shall be referred to the NB concerned for confirmation that the vote can be changed to approval)
The final vote will be submitted by Standards Australia by 2 September 2007.
Discussion
Rick Jelliffe –
Rick Jellife provided a broad overview of the working mechanisms of ISO and specifically his long involvement with ISO JTC1/SC 34 – Document Description and Processing Languages. He also discussed in broad terms ISO/IEC 29500 Information technology — Office Open XML file formats.
Karen Koomen -
Karen Koomen provided feedback and spoke briefly on behalf of the case for not ratifying ISO/IEC 29500. Karen stated she would like to add to her comments by providing further feedback from Rob Weir via a presentation (attached).
IBM pod cast slides:
Greg Stone-
Greg Stone articulated the case for a yes vote on the document (presentation attached), and had the following individuals state the case for a yes vote as part of his presentation.
Danika Bakalich (ComTIA)
Richard White (CargoWiseEDI)
Microsoft presentation slides:
Other contributions-
All participants at the forum were given an opportunity to speak publicly and present their positions. There were views expressed which supported the ratification of the document, and other participants supported a no vote on the document.
There were significant views expressed by the representative of Standards Australia Committee IT-019 (Computer Applications – Information and Documentation) and IT-019-01 (Information Technology for Learning, Education and Training), and National Archives of Australia. They voiced their concerns in the document being ratified at the ISO level.
Closing comments
Alistair Tegart thanked all the participants for contributing to a constructive and productive discussion. He invited participants to submit written comments by 21 August 2007, and reiterated that all the comments received by Standards Australia and the discussions at the forum will be utilised to formulate the submission that will be presented to the Standards Australia Communications, IT and eCommerce (CITeC) Sector Board.The Standards Australia CITeC Board will discuss and formulate the final position from Standards Australia, which will be submitted to ISO/IEC JTC1 before the ballot closing date of 2 September 2007 .
Alistair Tegart stated that all the participants would be informed of the final position (vote) that will be submitted by Standards Australia.
Written comment closes COB 21 August 2007.
Mail to: michael.langdon(a)standards.org.auThe Forum closed at 1pm.
From: "Standards Australia DIS 29500 discussion forum record", message from Michael Langdon, STandrads Australia, Fri, 17 Aug 2007 11:29:51 +1000
Attached to the word processing document was a list of attendees, plus PDF of presentation slides from IBM and Microsoft. The presentation "Some Thoughts Concerning DIS 29500 “OOXML" by Rob Weir, IBM, has similar content to his Blog. The Microsoft presentation "The case for a positive vote for Office Open XML Standard (ECMA-376)", has similar content to the Microsoft OOXML web site.
Labels: ISO, Microsoft, ODF, OOXML, Open XML, Standards Australia
Attached is the ISO template for comments for DRAFT INTERNATIONAL STANDARD ISO/IEC 29500, Information technology - Office Open XML file formats. Please insert your comments in this template.A copy of the draft ISO/DIS 29500 is available from the Standards Australia web site, at the Communications, IT and e-Commerce Sector Board. However, the draft is in the form of a 46 Mbyte Zip file. The text of the standard is 5220 pages of PDF.
Comments will be collated in a master template. The master comment template will be updated on a daily basis until COB 21 August 2007 which is the close off date for comments, after which collated comments will be provided to the Standards Australia Communications, IT & eCommerce (CITeC) sector board meeting.
Please note the structure of the ISO comments template. There are three types of comment: ge = general, te = technical, and ed = editorial. Comment type can be listed in column 4. Comments can also list a clause number(s), paragraph, figure, table or note number. Insert comments and list the proposed change in the next column.
Email the template back for addition to the master comment template. Please do not email other Standards Australia employees, or email lists, this as the comments just come back to me for compilation anyway: michael.langdon (a)standards.org.au ...
From: Michael Langdon, Project Manager, Commerce, Standards Australia, 14 Aug 2007
1 | 2 | (3) | 4 | 5 | (6) | (7) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
MB1 | Clause No. / Subclause No. / Annex (e.g. 3.1) | Paragraph / Figure / Table / Note (e.g. Table 1) | Type of comment2 | Comment (justification for change) | Proposed change | Observations on each comment submitted |
AU |
Labels: ISO, Microsoft, ODF, OOXML, Open XML, Standards Australia
Labels: ISO, Microsoft, ODF, OOXML, Open XML, Standards Australia
There are grave issues with respect to the accessibility of Office Open XML as a format and potential standard that should preclude its adoption at present. It may be the case that OOXML can be improved to ameliorate some of the more specific technical concerns, but it is most likely too late for the higher-level issues, especially those inherent in the process by which OOXML was developed. We suggest that energy would be better spent in the ongoing effort to improve the existing ISO ODF standard (with which OOXML would overlap and compete if it is adopted). In any event, decisions with respect to standardized document formats should be made in consultation with members of disability communities, disabilities experts and developers of assistive technologies, with universal accessibility as a core requirement as opposed to an ad hoc afterthought.
From: Accessibility Issues with Office Open XML, Stephen A. Hockema
Jutta Treviranus, Adaptive Technology Resource Centre, University of Toronto, 2007
Labels: accessibility, ODF, OOXML, Standards
Proposed Draft International Standard (DIS) ISO/IEC 29500 Information technology - Office Open XML file formats standardStandards Australia Industry Forum ...
BACKGROUND
The European Computer Manufactures' Association International (Ecma International) adopted and published the Microsoft Open Office XML specification as ECMA 376 late in 2006. Ecma approached ISO/IEC JTC1, the international standards organisation for information technology, seeking to use the fast track process to elevate its standard to International Standard status late in 2006, as per its recognised status as a Publicly Available Specification (PAS) submitter. The JTC1 enquiry process opened on 1 January 2007, for a 30 day period.
In accordance with the JTC1 Directives (their process rules) Member countries were asked to list any apparent contradictions with existing standards (including ISO/IEC 26300: Information technology - Open Document Format for Office Applications (OpenDocument)). Some 19 countries did this, including Australia. The Standards Australia Communications, IT and e-Commerce (CITeC) Standards Sector Board (SSB) developed and approved Australia’s contribution.
ECMA provided a response to all contradictions raised and subsequently JTC1 made the document available as ISO/IEC DIS 29500 Information technology - Office Open XML file formats standard for actual balloting by the ISO/IEC member nations.
PROCESS
As a Participating Member of JTC1, Australia has an obligation to vote on this document. The options open are:
- Approve
- Approve with comment
- Abstain
- Disapprove with comment (disapproval of the DIS for technical reasons to be stated, with proposals for changes that would make the document acceptable (acceptance of these proposals shall be referred to the NB concerned for confirmation that the vote can be changed to approval).
This contribution will be approved in advance by the CITeC Standards Sector Board by consensus.
The final vote will be submitted by Standards Australia by 2 September 2007.
PURPOSE OF THIS MEETING
The purpose of this meeting is to provide a forum for discussion by interested parties to advise Standards Australia in development of its submission for approval by the CITeC Standards Sector Board.
Invitees to this meeting include:
- Members of Standards Australia’s committees:
- IT-004 Geographical Information Systems
- IT-015 Software & Systems Engineering
- IT-019 Computer Applications – Information & Documentation
- IT-027 Data Management & Interchange
- IT-031 Computer Modelling and Simulation
- Members of the CITeC SSB
- Interested parties who have submitted comments since the beginning of the initial comment period in January 2007, by e-mail or letter.
Participants are invited to contribute their comments in writing following the forum by 21 August 2007 to ensure that they are considered in development of the submission to the CITeC SSB.
CONSIDERATIONS TO NOTE
Standards Australia is recognised by the Government as Australia’s peak standards body. It develops Australian Standards® of public benefit and national interest and supports excellence in design and innovation through the Australian Design Awards.
Standards Australia is Australia’s representative on the International Organization for
Standardization [ISO], the International Electrotechnical Commission [IEC], and the Pacific Area Standards Congress [PASC].Participation in international committee work is dependent on our capacity to consult and respond through the Australian committee structure. The CITeC Standards Sector Board is responsible for this vote.
This forum is being conducted by Standards Australia as a courtesy to stakeholders. It is an extraordinary meeting that we are not required to hold, but do so to provide an open process. We appreciate your attendance and expect that you appreciate our effort in making this opportunity available to you.
Standards Australia values its vote as a participating member of all international committees, and does not exercise it injudiciously. We provide considered Australian viewpoints that are beneficial to Australian stakeholders, including industry, government, academia and the general community, through the facilitation of trade and the inclusion of clear Australian requirements in international standards.
The JTC1 process has established that the ECMA-376 document is not contradictory to existing standards and ECMA has responded to a number of technical considerations raised in the initial consultation period. This forum is not to debate the merits of the JTC1 decision making process or the validity of the ECMA response.
While technical comments are welcomed, it would be entirely counter productive to use this forum to reiterate technical comments that have already been raised and are likely to be debated in every JTC1 member body in some form.
We are looking for creative, positive contributions that emphasise our commitment to representing truly Australian views to the international community.
To ensure the best outcome for the meeting, we ask you to note the guidelines and agenda below.
GUIDELINES
• Standards Australia will document the meeting and will share with attendees/interested parties not able to attend. Discussion will not be recorded, in line with our general committee meeting policies.
• When general discussion commences, please limit your contribution to no more than five minutes.
• Speakers should be allowed to complete presentations, prior to inviting questions or comments. Responses, including questions, should be raised through meeting chair.
• When individuals do comment, they should state their name and organisational affiliation, if any.
• Respect others’ opinions.
AGENDA
10am Opening of the meeting and attendance (please sign attendance list)
10.10am Introduction - Standards Australia
10.30am Invited discussion openers
10.30 -10.40am General overview of the standards process
10.40 – 11.00am Objections to ISO/IEC adoption of DIS 29500
11.00 – 11.20am Case for ISO/IEC adoption of DIS 29500
11.20am 20 minute break
11.40am General Discussion
12.45pm Summary and next steps
1pm CloseParticipants are invited to contribute their comments in writing following the forum by 21 August 2007 to ensure that they are considered in development of the submission to the CITeC Standards
Sector Board.
CONTACT
Please confirm attendance via e-mail to: michael.langdon (a) standards.org.au
Labels: ISO, Microsoft, ODF, OOXML, Open XML, Standards Australia
Labels: ISO, Microsoft, ODF, OOXML, Open XML, Standards Australia