Floschi’s Blog

Two successful days for ODF interoperability

It happened in The Hague the last two days, probably you wouldn’t imagine before

Over 40 people working together, defining test scenarios, creating test documents, running many tests on different platforms and using plenty different ODF implementations – people from community driven projects like Abiword, KOffice, OpenOffice.org as well as software vendors like Google, IBM, Oracle, RedHat, SUN and – of course – Microsoft. And many other people interested in improving the level of OpenDocument Format interoperability.

Some initial talks pointed out the dutch strategy to achieve more openess. Secretary of state Frank Heemskerk explained that he will push the 3 Os, meaning Open Standards, Open Source and Open Content for the Netherlands. Ineke Schop and Fabrice Mous from the dutch governmental programm Netherlands in Open Connection (NOIV) showed how NOIV supports implementing this policy. Robert Weir (OASIS ODF TC chair) and Oliver-Rainer Wittmann explained the way to ODF 1.2 and the next versions on day II. And finally, Doug Mahugh from Microsoft’s interoperability team stated why documentation on every implemetation is important.

But the main topic was to do tests and to improve interoperability. This pic show the pleasant atmosphere offered by NOIV to the participants for a maximum of creativity.

What exactly are the results?

Well, one of the most important things for me was the spirit to work together across all prejudices. Remember, free software developers and fulltime workers for big companies like Google, IBM, Oracle, RedHat, SUN and Microsoft sitting together to achieve better interoperability for ODF. Great.

We discussed the need for a function status overview for different ODF implementations in addition to a simple validator. What will be the best valid ODF file, if there are non interoperable functions? Won’t be real exchangeable. One to do for the future.

Many test scenarios were created and runned, so the people from implementors got ideas were to put hands on for improvement. There’s a lot to do, we wrapped-up in the end. It’s not only a matter of OpenOffice.org compared to Microsoft Office. To get real interoperability for e.g. citizens we should go ahead. ODF is an enabler of interoperability – now it’sup to implementors to do their homework until next meeting. We all agree that there should be perpetual plugfests. Maybe we could host one of the next in Germany?

My opinion:
A good start, a lot to do fixing concrete issues and also defining general principles, validators with functional analysis, all contributors are willing to do so, great.

Thanks a lot to NOiV.

For more information here we go:

• official web site: http://www.odfworkshop.nl
• plugtest Wiki: http://plugtest.opendocsociety.org
• #ODFplugfest tweeds: http://twitter.com/#search?q=odfplugfest
• #ODFplugfest dents: http://identi.ca/tag/odfplugfest

Der Beitrag wurde am Dienstag, den 16. Juni 2009 um 16:14 Uhr veröffentlicht und wurde unter Freie Software, LiMux (en), OpenOffice.org (en) abgelegt. du kannst die Kommentare zu diesen Eintrag durch den RSS 2.0 Feed verfolgen. du kannst einen Kommentar schreiben, oder einen Trackback auf deiner Seite einrichten.