Open Standards

Media publications

• Build Systems, Not Companies, on Open Standards - Without standards, every job is a one-off, and vendor lock-in is assured after the first project. Open standards are the beating heart of e-Business, without which concepts like intranets and business-to-business commerce would not be practical on a mass scale. (Published 2002.02.20)
• Business Case for Open Standards - Paper investigating economical issues related to the diffusion of public standards. (Published 2002.05.09)
• Open Standards - The Only Option - Internet technologies and the economical challenge of open protocols. (Published 2001.05.01)

	We Can Put an End to Word Attachments URL: http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/no-word-attachments.html ODP description: Richard Stallman's arguments against the use of proprietary formats in document exchange. Page title: We Can Put an End to Word Attachments - GNU Project - Free Software Foundation (FSF)
	MS-Word Is Not a Document Exchange Format URL: http://www.goldmark.org/netrants/no-word/attach.html ODP description: Explains the appropriate use of document formats and argues against the use of Word attachments. Page title: MS-Word is {Not} a document exchange format
	Open Design Alliance URL: http://www.opendesign.com/ ODP description: An association of CAD customers and vendors committed to promoting open, industry-standard formats for the exchange of CAD data. Hisotry, members, FAQ, and published papers.
	Linux Standard Base URL: http://www.linux-foundation.org/en/LSB ODP description: The goal of the Linux Standard Base (LSB) is to develop and promote a set of standards that will increase compatibility among Linux distributions and enable software applications to run on any compliant Linux system. Page title: Linux Standard Base (LSB) - The Linux Foundation Page description: Open Standards for Open Source
	No Proprietary Binary Data Formats URL: http://www.podval.org/~sds/data.html ODP description: Why not use proprietary formats and what are the main open alternatives. Page title: No To Proprietary Binary Data Formats
	Burn All GIFs URL: http://burnallgifs.org/archives/ ODP description: Campaign for replacing the (formerly) patent-encumbered GIF format by open standard graphics. Since the GIF formats has become patent-free, the site advocates against software patents.
	Open Standards: Principles and Practice URL: http://perens.com/OpenStandards/Definition.html ODP description: Illustrates the principles behind format standardization and the practice of promoting formats interoperability.
	Why There Are Not GIF Files on GNU Pages URL: http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/gif.html ODP description: Advocates against the use of image formats that are protected by patents. Presents a brief history of the GIF format as well as its open alternatives. Page title: Why There Are No GIF files on GNU Web Pages
	Avoid E-Mail Attachments, Especially Microsoft Word URL: http://bcn.boulder.co.us/~neal/attachments.html ODP description: Short document with instructions to MS-Word users on alternatives they can use for document exchange.
	Cover Pages: Patents and Open Standards URL: http://xml.coverpages.org/patents.html ODP description: Investigates the effects of patent proliferation and criticizes reasonable and non-discriminatory license terms (RAND) for patented technologies.
	Sincere Choice URL: http://sincerechoice.org/ ODP description: Intercommunication and file formats should follow standards that are sincerely open for all to implement, without royalty fees or discrimination.
	Attachments in Proprietary Formats Considered Harmful URL: http://www.cse.unsw.edu.au/~chak/email.html ODP description: Explains the risks of exchanging data in non-public format and suggests the main alternatives. Page title: Manuel M T Chakravarty - Email Attachments Page description: Problems of proprietary email attachments.
	The Principles of Open Standards URL: http://www.csrstds.com/openstds.html ODP description: Ken Krechmer analyzes the distinct issues behind advocacy for non-proprietary formats. Page title: The Meaning of Open Standards Page description: The Meaning of Open Standards by Ken Krechmer
	LinuxLab - Open Standards URL: http://linuxlab.dk/openstandards/ ODP description: Argues in favor of patent-free standards and suggests recommended formats for different kinds of content. Page title: LinuxLab - Open standards Page description: The importance of Open Standards
	Open Data Format Initiative URL: http://odfi.org/ ODP description: Initiative aiming to convince software companies to release data format documentation and to pass laws that governments can only store user data in open format. Presents its manifesto, forum, news, links to institutional resolutions.
	Open Standards URL: http://www.wigglebits.com/standards.html ODP description: What is a standard, what is an open standard, and why use open standards on the Internet. Page title: Building a School Web Site - Open Standards Page description: A complete guide to building a school web site; a hands-on project that teachers and kids can do together
	Open Standards Repository URL: http://openstandards.org/ ODP description: Archive of standards relevant to the Open Source community, including licenses, public standards, protocols, RFCs.
	Please don't send me Microsoft Word documents URL: http://en.nothingisreal.com/wiki/Please_don%27t_send_me_Microsoft_Word_documents ODP description: A discussion of the problems of MSWord as a document exchange format and what alternatives are available. Suitable for a non-technical audience.
	OpenStandards.net URL: http://www.openstandards.net/ ODP description: OpenStandards.net is a not-for-profit organization connecting people to open standards and the bodies that build and foster their growth.
	Open Source versus Open Standards URL: http://www.news.com/2010-1071-995823.html ODP description: Draws a distinction between open source advocacies and the promotion of public standards, warning against the confusion of these two initiatives. Page title: Open source versus open standards - CNET News.com Page description: Sun's software czar Jonathan Schwartz writes that the terms are not interchangeable, a point that often gets overlooked. He explains why it pays to read more closely. A CNET article by Jonathan Schwartz. Published on April 10, 2003 4:00 AM PDT.
	Why Not Word! URL: http://www.rfc1149.net/documents/whynotword.html.en ODP description: Why not using Word, Excel or any other proprietary format to communicate. Page title: Why not Word!
	Open Interoperative Document Initiative URL: http://www.oidi.org/ ODP description: Supports efforts by governments at all levels to ensure public documents are open and interoperable and thus available without the need for proprietary software. Includes resources and details of how to get involved. Page title: Open Interoperative Document Initiative : HomePage Page description: Open Interoperative Document Initiative
	Streaming media: A case for open standards URL: http://www.news.com/2010-1025_3-5099118.html ODP description: Benefits of the development of open specifications for audio and video formats. By Rich Mavrogeanes.
	Open Media Now! Foundation URL: http://www.openmedianow.org/ ODP description: Supports free ways to create, to distribute and display digital content by actively developing cross-platform solutions, such as Gnash. Page title: Open Media Now! Foundation | Implementing the future!
	Content Management and Edit Data Exchange URL: http://www.edlmax.com/ContentManagement.htm ODP description: Article on formats interoperability in audio and video content. Page title: EdlMax Content Management Page description: EdlMax provides edit data software tools for the video and film production industries.
	W3C Patent Policy URL: http://www.w3.org/Consortium/Patent-Policy ODP description: Governs the handling of patents in the process of producing Web standards. The goal of this policy is to assure that Recommendations produced under this policy can be implemented on a Royalty-Free (RF) basis.