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Novell

Submission + - Elliott Associates and Novell: Here's What Happen (consortiuminfo.org)

Submitted by Andy Updegrove
Andy Updegrove writes: Hostile tender offers are understandably rare in the technology industry, primarily due to the difficulty of retaining key talent. However, IBM's successful integration of Lotus Development in 1995 proved that it could be done. But can a hedge fund pull off such a result? Probably not, at least in the face of a determined White Knight. That's because the value of a Novell merged with a welcome partner will be higher than the break up value of a Novell bleeding talent like a sieve. The result? The White Knight will be able to outbid the corporate raider. Moreover, the value of a second trusted source for a well-supported commercial distribution of Linux will lead potential partners to consider stepping in that otherwise would be content to stand by the sidelines. Paradoxically, Microsoft has a powerful interest in the survival of a vibrant Suse Linux distribution as well. If it loses that bridge to its enterprise customers with heterogeneous environments, it will need to begin all over again — and with who? If a bidder other than Elliot ultimately takes home the prize, it will provide an interesting indication of how important Linux is to the major IT vendors today, as well as some serious insight into who cares about Linux the most.

Comment Yes, it does stand as a precedent (Score 4, Informative) 36

by Andy Updegrove (#31201876) Attached to: Jacobsen v Katzer Settled — Victory For F/OSS
Yes - the rulings made by the court do stand as precedents, notwithstanding the fact that the case settled. What the settlement means is that those rulings can no longer be appealed. If it had settled before going to court, then the settlement would have been irrelevant, but that's not the case here. - Andy
Software

Submission + - A Big Victory for F/OSS: Jacobsen v. Katzer is Set (consortiuminfo.org) 2

Submitted by Andy Updegrove
Andy Updegrove writes: A short while ago the parties to one of the most closely watched FOSS cases filed a settlement agreement with the U.S. Federal District Court for the Northern District of California ending one of the most important FOSS legal cases to date. That case is Jacobsen vs. Katzer, and the settlement marks a complete victory for Jacobsen, a member of the Java Model Railroad Interface (JMRI) Project. Jacobsen's victory establishes several important rights for the first time in the U.S.: the right to prevent their copyright and authorship acknowledgments from being removed from their code, and the right to collect damages if the terms of the licenses they choose are violated. Until now, those rights had never been tested in court. Read on for the details of the case, the litigation, and the settlement.
Movies

Submission + - Here We Go Again: Video Standards War 2010 (consortiuminfo.org)

Submitted by Andy Updegrove
Andy Updegrove writes: Think of the words "standards war," and if you're of a certain age you're likely to think of the battle between the Betamax and VHS video tape formats. Fast forward, and you'll recall we just finished another video standards war between most of the same companies, this time between HD DVD and Blu-ray. Well, here we go again, except this time its the movie studios that are duking it out, and DRM issues is a big part of it. On the one side are five of the six major studios, dozens of cable, hardware, software, distribution and device vendors, and on the other side there's just Disney — and maybe Apple as well, and that's enough to have the other side worried.
Microsoft

Submission + - All Quiet on the CodePlex Front: 100 Days No Board (consortiuminfo.org)

Submitted by Andy Updegrove
Andy Updegrove writes: As you may recall, Microsoft announced back on September 10 that it had launched a new, open source organization called the CodePlex Foundation. Since then, it has announced Project Acceptance and Operation Guidelines, its first "Gallery" (a project area), supporting Microsoft's ASP.NET, and two projects in that gallery. But it had also launched in a "less than open" state with an interim Board of Directors, and a promise to elect a permanent one in 100 days. Problem is, December 19 — the 100 day mark — passed quietly, with no announcement of a new Board or a status update on the other goals it had set for the launch period. So what's up with the CodePlex Foundation, and its pledge to promptly transition into a more independent organization?

Submission + - Further Reflections on the CodePlex Foundation: Th (consortiuminfo.org)

Submitted by
Andy Updegrove
Andy Updegrove writes: "An analysis of the flawed structure of Microsoft's new CodePlex Foundation that I wrote resulted in quite a long discussion here. But let's assume that Microsoft actually surrendered control. Would there be a useful role for the CodePlex Foundation to play, and if so, what role would that be? The answer to the first question is yes, and if Microsoft were to accept my second set of recommendations, the community might even want to join in."
Government

Submission + - New Federal FOSS Advocacy Group Launches (consortiuminfo.org)

Submitted by
Andy Updegrove
Andy Updegrove writes: "Later today, Tim O'Reilly will announce a new advocacy group at OSCON, the leading government IT tradeshow. That organization is named Open Source for America, and its mission will be to provide, "a unified voice for the promotion of open source software in the U.S. Federal Government arena." The more than 70 Founding Members are a "who's who" of community leaders, FOSS foundations, major IT vendors and universities, and the Board of Advisors reflects that membership. The timing of the launch is no coincidence. Only through the use of free and open source software and open standards can government Web sites provide the level of interactivity required to realize President Obama's vision of providing an "unprecedented" level of transparency to government, and enable Americans to fully participate in their own government. Membership is free and open to all."

Comment Correction on "save to" capability (Score 4, Informative) 377

by Andy Updegrove (#23495990) Attached to: Microsoft Office 2007 to Support ODF - But Not OOXML
Kevin J. O'Brien, reporting in the International Herald Tribune, reports that the ODF update will in fact permit users to "adjust Office 2007 settings to automatically save documents in the rival format." A knowledgeable source tells me that this report is likely to be accurate.

Andy
Software

Submission + - ODF v. OOXML: Eric Kriss, Peter Quin and the ETRM (consortiuminfo.org)

Submitted by
Andy Updegrove
Andy Updegrove writes: "Over the past 30 months I've conducted interviews with many of those most involved in the ODF-OOXML standards war, and received a great deal of inside information from them, some of which I have not previously shared. Last month, I launched an on-line book recounting the ODF saga, taking the story back to its roots in 2002 for those that tuned in late. In this fourth chapter of ODF vs. OOXML: War of the Words, I draw on a two hour interview with Peter Quinn's boss, State Secretary of Administration and Finance Eric Kriss, to tell the story of how Kriss and Quinn started down the road that would lead to the adoption of ODF — and much more."
Movies

Submission + - As Go Document Formats, So Goes Video (consortiuminfo.org)

Submitted by
Andy Updegrove
Andy Updegrove writes: "For a few years now we've been reading about the urgency of adopting open document formats to preserve written records. Now, a 74 page report from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences warns that digital films are as vulnerable to loss as digitized documents, but vastly more expensive to preserve — as much as $208,569 per year. The reasons are the same for video as for documents: magnetic media degrade quickly, and formats continue to be created and abandoned. If this sounds familiar and worrisome, it should. We are rushing pell mell into a future where we only focus on the exciting benefits of new technologies without considering the qualities of older technologies that are equally important — such as ease of preservation — that may be lost or fatally compromised when we migrate to a new whiz-bang technology."
Software

Submission + - Obama Pledges Support for Open Document Formats (consortiuminfo.org)

Submitted by
Andy Updegrove
Andy Updegrove writes: "ODF first made the headlines in Massachusetts when presidential hopeful Mitt Romney was its governor. Now, another presidential candidate has pledged his support for them as well. On November 14th, Barack Obama revealed his detailed IT plan for a more open and technically enabled government in a speech at Google's Mountainview campus. In that speech, he said: "It's no coincidence that one of the most secretive Administrations in history has favored special interests and pursued policies that could not stand up to sunlight. As President, I'll change that. I'll put government data online in universally accessible formats." In calling for open formats, Obama has introduced an IT hot potato into the presidential debate that has already riled the waters in multiple state legislatures and been the subject of heavy lobbying by vendors. Whether other candidates in general — and Mitt Romney in particular — will respond in kind or opt to keep their distance remains to be seen."
Software

Submission + - W3C: "What is the OpenDoc Foundation Thinking? (consortiuminfo.org)

Submitted by
Andy Updegrove
Andy Updegrove writes: "Earlier this week the tech press was abuzz with the news that the OpenDocument Foundation had abandoned ODF for CDF, a W3C specification-in-process that few had ever heard of, and no one seemed to know much about (Microsoft was understandably pleased). To find out the facts, I interviewed Chris Lilley, the W3C lead for the CDF project, and his answer couldn't have been more clear: "The one thing I'd really want your readers to know is that CDF was not created to be, and isn't suitable for use as, an office format." In fact, it isn't even an export format at all — for that you need another W3C specification, called WICD — which is a non-editable format intended for viewing only. Nor is there any support within W3C to create or use CDF as contemplated by "the three guys in the garage." Thanks, guys."
Software

Submission + - Format Standards Committee "Grinds to a Halt&# (consortiuminfo.org)

Submitted by
Andy Updegrove
Andy Updegrove writes: "As you may recall, Microsoft's OOXML did not get enough votes to be approved the first time around in ISO/IEC — notwithstanding the fact that many countries joined the Document Format and Languages committee in the months before voting closed, almost all of whom voted to approve OOXML. Unfortunately, many of these countries also traded up to "P" level membership at the last minute to get more influence. Now, the collateral damage is setting in. At least 50% of P members must vote (up, down or abstain) on every standard at each ballot — and none of the new members are bothering to vote, despite repeated pleas from the committee chair. Not a single ballot has passed since the OOXML vote closed, and In his words, the committee has "ground to a halt." Sad to say, there's no end in sight for this (formerly) very busy and influential standards committee."
Microsoft

Submission + - Microsoft Fails to Gain Approval for OOXML (consortiuminfo.org)

Submitted by
Andy Updegrove
Andy Updegrove writes: "Microsoft's bid to gain approval for its OOXML specification in the first round of global voting has failed. I now have official confirmation of that fact, and expect to have final numbers soon. In the meantime, Microsoft has just issued a press release, putting the best spin it can on the results. That release is titled "Strong Global Support for Open XML as It Enters Final Phase of ISO Standards Process."The release focuses on the degree of participation (51 National Bodies), and level of "support" (74% of all qualified votes, without differentiating between P and O countries).It also refers to this level of support at "this preliminary stage of the process," and compares it "favorably" to the number of countries participating in the votes to consider ODF and PDF, but without mentioning percentage levels of support, which would include Observer as well as Participating member votes.The drama will now switch to the long run up to the February 25 — 29 Ballot Resolution Meeting, and to how much Microsoft will be willing to change in OOXML in order to convert a sufficient number of no votes to yeses, in order to finally gain approval, if it can, for its beleaguered specification."

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