ODF and OOXML in the developing world

[jfinkels]

Everyone should read this blog post on why Microsoft's OOXML is bad for the developing world if you haven't already:

http://ghanageek.wordpress.com/2007/08/17/background-information-on-odf-ooxml-and-why-it-matters/

[jfinkels]

Somebody? Anybody? Bueller? Bueller?

This is a very serious issue and we should educate ourselves and act now while it's not too late.

[original_jamingrit]

The Microsoft Permissive Liscenses are utter crap, and the OOXML is even worse. Allowing OOXML to become the rule would really make projects like Ubuntu much more difficult, since one of Ubuntu's goal is providing software tools to people in countries that can't afford them.

[Hendrixski]

It's not just bad for Ghana, it's bad for everyebody. MSOOXML is like the "gateway drug" into the rest of Microsofts proprietary software stack which communicates only with OOXML, and locks everybody else out.
read more about it on this thread: http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=540016