On 26 March 1874, the great poet
href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Frost" rel="tag">Robert
Frost was born.
Perhaps it is not so notable, but 26 March 2008 is the first
href="http://documentfreedom.org/News/20080220" rel="tag">Document
Freedom Day.
Early in the development of computer technology, the world decided to
take the well-traveled road: the road of proprietary document formats.
This path led to endless headaches, unnecessary costs, and
the
inability of people to use their machines to their full potential.
It created obscure vectors for the spread of viruses.
The road not taken, was the road of open document formats. But
now some brazen souls are heading out that way.
Open document formats have several
advantages.
- Granting accessibility and perennity to your
data: both you and the users of your data will always be
able to read and access them. - Granting a complete transparency
to the content of your files. - Limiting the propagation of viruses:
adopting open formats drastically helps reducing the risk of
contamination. - Promoting diversity and interoperability
in the domain of electronic communication.
The ODF
Alliance
points out that the use of open document standards ensures that
documents will be readable far into the future. It ensures
that
information can be shared in emergency situations. It enables
more competition in the marketplace. It should help to keep
costs
down.
What would Robert Frost say about open document formats?
All I would keep for myself is the freedom of my
material
-- the condition of body and mind now and then to summons aptly from
the vast chaos of all I have lived through.
Robert Frost,
The
Figure a Poem Makes
Forget "where would you like to go today?" Take the road less
traveled, and keep for yourself the freedom of your material.
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