Adobe PDF has tended to be a footnote in the ODF story to date, principally figuring into the saga by presenting a somewhat troubling question: did the Massachusetts Information Technology Division (ITD) draw too fine a distinction in saying "no" to the Microsoft XML Reference Schema (especially after Microsoft agreed to make modifications to its license terms) while saying "yes" to Adobe PDF? But an interview with Adobe CEO Bruce Chizen indicates that Adobe's control of PDF - and now Flash - may give it a far bigger role from the desktop to mobile devices in the future than ODF may give any other vendor.
George Harrison wrote of the "Sue me - Sue You Blues." Rambus, Micron, Infineon and Samsung have been singing that one for years, and today Micron Technologies began a new verse, with its latest suit against Rambus. It all relates to a JEDEC standard setting initiative from the early 1990s, but it has reshaped standard setting.
On Wednesday I moderated a panel at the Open Source Business Conference in San Francisco. Gavin Clark at The Register.com titled his story about the session "Microsoft ignites idea of independent versions of Office" and subtitled it "Rivals Flame Redmond." That's a bit overwrought, but it was an interesting session none the less.
Yesterday I reported on the December 12 promise by the Boston Globe's ombudsman to look into how the story that contributed to the resignation of Massachusetts CIO Peter Quinn, and the fact that nothing had been heard since. Last night I got a response.
It was on December 12, 2005 that Boston Globe ombudsman Richard Chacon promised to investigate how the article by Steve Kurkjian that helped to drive Peter Quinn from office came to be written. What's happened since then? As the reporters say, "Repeated requests for comment have remained unanswered"
Peter Quinn is out on the hustings telling his story, and for the first time has posted his slide show for public view. Here's what he has to say.
C++/CLI, like the XML Reference Schema, was submitted by Microsoft to Ecma for adoption as a standard and fast-tracking through ISO for global adoption. Last week, it hit a bump in the road.
An article in Vnunet.com seems to say that there's a rift between Sun and IBM at OpenOffice.org, and that Sun is fighting to hang on to the OpenOffice.org code. I asked Bob Sutor and Simon Phipps, and they both say, "no way."
Louis Gutierrez took over Peter Quinn's old job as Massachusetts State CIO yesterday. He also got a major vote of confidence from Computerworld Editor-in-Chief Don Tennant.
One of the most vocal opponents of the Massachusetts ODF policy has been Supervisor of Records Alan N. Cote. Last week, Alan suggested that we have a chat, and here's what he had to say.