I don't know how much attention is being afforded the recent news of what some consider a victory by Microsoft over Open Document Format (ODF) advocates. I read a ComputerWorld article summarizing the defeat of bills seeking to mandate the use of open document formats by government agencies. In this case I feel that the outcome serves as a reflection of the uphill battle ahead for the pro-ODF contingency. In light of the advances of made in support of freely available and standardized file formats, such as the Open Document Format (ODF) in other places across the world, the question of why the United States government seems to lag significantly behind a great deal of other governments across the world, presents itself.
One key feature which differentiates the current U.S. political environment from others across the globe is direct participation by an ever expanding lobbying industry. It has become common practice for private entities to engage lawmakers through the strong influence applied by lobbyist groups towards securing federal benefits. However, this also takes place at the state and level where corporations, lobbying firms/groups and politicians alike engage in what amounts to influence peddling. All moral analysis of this triangle aside, it has grown into a bustling industry that wields significant sway within the law making process. The growth of lobbying creates a significant gap between those with the resources and those without/with less. This reality is playing itself out within the struggle of pro-ODF groups attempting to introduce the benefits of open standards through the legislative process.
Despite the fact that open standards represent a step forward from proprietary standards or even standards which are basically controlled by a private entity (OOXML), the battle for/against them isn't being waged on grounds of rational thought process and decision-making. Instead, entrenched leverage that operations such as the lobbying arm of the Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA), have are complicating the matter of opening a forum for the type of discourse that can best lead to objective decidedness. Not to be outclassed, the ODF Alliance has engaged its own lobbying efforts, and rightfully so, as such channels yield the most effective results.
From a strategic perspective, supporters of bills similar to those which were defeated outright in five states must include more widespread support from a greater segment of the open document format [and open source] community as a whole. Attempting to apply pressure solely through the same means of its ODF opposition is bound to prove fruitless. More grassroots support will cast any rejection of future bills along broader lines of support, further increasing the public spotlight on the decision making process. Legislative support for open document formats has the potential to really open the flood gates for the very principles of choice, competition and an open landscape for those who do business with the government. So hopefully, things can consistently progress towards that end.
Technorati Tags: open formats | Open Document Format | United States government | state legislature | Microsoft
One key feature which differentiates the current U.S. political environment from others across the globe is direct participation by an ever expanding lobbying industry. It has become common practice for private entities to engage lawmakers through the strong influence applied by lobbyist groups towards securing federal benefits. However, this also takes place at the state and level where corporations, lobbying firms/groups and politicians alike engage in what amounts to influence peddling. All moral analysis of this triangle aside, it has grown into a bustling industry that wields significant sway within the law making process. The growth of lobbying creates a significant gap between those with the resources and those without/with less. This reality is playing itself out within the struggle of pro-ODF groups attempting to introduce the benefits of open standards through the legislative process.
Despite the fact that open standards represent a step forward from proprietary standards or even standards which are basically controlled by a private entity (OOXML), the battle for/against them isn't being waged on grounds of rational thought process and decision-making. Instead, entrenched leverage that operations such as the lobbying arm of the Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA), have are complicating the matter of opening a forum for the type of discourse that can best lead to objective decidedness. Not to be outclassed, the ODF Alliance has engaged its own lobbying efforts, and rightfully so, as such channels yield the most effective results.
From a strategic perspective, supporters of bills similar to those which were defeated outright in five states must include more widespread support from a greater segment of the open document format [and open source] community as a whole. Attempting to apply pressure solely through the same means of its ODF opposition is bound to prove fruitless. More grassroots support will cast any rejection of future bills along broader lines of support, further increasing the public spotlight on the decision making process. Legislative support for open document formats has the potential to really open the flood gates for the very principles of choice, competition and an open landscape for those who do business with the government. So hopefully, things can consistently progress towards that end.
Technorati Tags: open formats | Open Document Format | United States government | state legislature | Microsoft
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