Montag Juni 20, 2005

Using AutoShapes via XML
Here is a great article that explains how to use CustomShapes (OpenOffice.org's/StarOffice's version of AutoShapes) via XML by leveraging the OASIS OpenDocument file format. Have fun with it! Oh, and thanks to J. David Eisenberg for writing the article!!!
( Jun 20 2005, 06:09:40 PM CEST ) Permalink

"First OpenSolaris derivative in the wild"
"Dubbed 'SchilliX' after its principal developer, veteran German open source programmer Jorg Schilling, the operating system has been in development for four months with the approval of Sun Microsystems. [...] SchilliX allows users to try out OpenSolaris for themselves without installing it to their hard disk, as it can be run directly from a CD-ROM. However, it can also be installed onto a hard disk or a sizeable USB storage device."
The full article can be found here.
( Jun 20 2005, 04:26:20 PM CEST ) Permalink

"MS Office XML Formats Not OK with GNU"
""If they had any applicable patents, they'd most assuredly tell people what those patents are. I can't see that they have done that. So, all they've said is that they may have patents and, if they do, these are the terms under which they'll license them to you. While it is true the terms of such a license are GPL-incompatible, there is no need to comply with them until we are certain they have something that must be licensed," he said."
The full article can be found here.
( Jun 20 2005, 04:21:57 PM CEST ) Permalink

OpenOffice.org at Tata Power
"However, there are multiple licences that fall under the ambit of open source. Having said that, there are companies such as Tata Power that have gone for a ‘open source’ deployment. Avers Batliwala, “We are using OpenOffice.org and are shortly planning to upgrade to version 2.”"
The full article can be found here.
( Jun 20 2005, 04:13:12 PM CEST ) Permalink

Definition about "open"
This is a very interesting blog entry:

"I'd go back to the "discussion" in "relative discussion" and say open is:

(1) the degree to which the discourse (or discussion) over the final result is public and,
(2) the degree to which that final result is then open to unencumbered use.

[...]

Why should IT buyers insist that their vendors comply with open specifications? Interoperability is obviously a key benefit. But more importantly, when IT pros establish strategies that adhere to open standards (open specs that have made the transition), they put themselves in control of their IT, instead of vendors. As I've written before, if the proprietary nature of Microsoft Office's document formats and macro languages taught us anything, it's that we turned control of a certain part of our IT over to Microsoft. Once we invested so heavily in those proprietary items (to the point of no return), we put Microsoft in control of the security, performance, and cost of our IT. When Microsoft changed the licensing scheme to Office, what choice did we have but to go along? Well, if the OASIS Open Document Format existed at the time and Microsoft complied with it, we would have had a choice. A choice to go to OpenOffice, StarOffice, Wordperfect, LotusWorkplace, or any other software that supported it. If one of those offered better performance, lower total cost of ownership, or a more secure platform, then, through compliance, our ability to switch means that we're in control of those aspects of our IT, rather than the vendor."
( Jun 20 2005, 04:07:53 PM CEST ) Permalink