November 2009 Newsletter

Newsletter November (Danish) is out: http://bit.ly/3H4Txw. Read about 100 mio. downloads and a nine year old girl. There is also something about OpenOffice.

OpenOffice.org Newsletter is out (Danish)

The Danish newsletter is published:
http://issuu.com/lodahl/docs/2009oktober?viewMode=presentation

Danish OpenOffice.org newsletter

Danish OpenOffice.org newsletter is out: http://doc.oooforum.dk/Nyhed/2009Marts.pdf

Extensions for OpenOffice.org

One of the nice features in OpenOffice.org is the ability to develop and publish extensions. The extension philosophy has been very well implemented in other f/oss projects and who doesn't have a bunch of Firefox extensions installed already.

The OpenOffice.org extension repository now consist of several hundred (perhaps thousand?) more or less nifty little things. In the monthly newsletter that I deistribute from the Danish community I have introduced extension of the month. I have done this for several reasons. First of all to put focus on the extension way of doing things, but also to focus on what is actually possible to do with OpenOffice.org. It is my hope that more Danish developers and OpenOffice.org users will work with and use extensions more in the future.

I will try to put some of the extensions to your attention in the future here on my blog.

Newsletter

The monthly newsletter from the Danish community is out: http://doc.oooforum.dk/Nyhed/2008December.pdf

Danish newsletter out now

The monthly overview in Danish are out now: http://doc.oooforum.dk/Nyhed/2008Oktober.pdf.

Danish Open Office newsletter just around the corner ...

You can read the pdf-version here: http://doc.oooforum.dk/Nyhed/2008August.pdf

Most of the newsletter is about the upcomming 3.0 release.

OpenOffice.org Newsletter in Danish

The newsletter is on the streets now:
Text edition: http://da.openoffice.org/servlets/ReadMsg?list=nyhedsbrev&msgNo=51
PDF-Edition: http://doc.oooforum.dk/Nyhed/2008Juli.pdf

Danish OpenOffice.org Newsletter

Danish OpenOffice.org Newsletter out now:
Text version: http://da.openoffice.org/servlets/ReadMsg?list=nyhedsbrev&msgNo=49
PDF version: http://doc.oooforum.dk/Nyhed/2008Juni.pdf

Danish Newsletter from OpenOffice.org

The May issue of the Danish Newsletter is on the street now:
http://doc.oooforum.dk/Nyhed/2008Maj

OpenOffice.org Newsletter in Danish

The monthly Danish newsletter is released and can be downloaded here: http://doc.oooforum.dk/Nyhed/2008April.pdf

Here is my own translation of one of the articles...
Standards and free competition

by Leif Lodahl, spokesman for OpenOffice.org in Denmark

The international organization for standardization ISO is about to decide if the document format from Microsoft can be accepted as an international standard.

The problem with standards is, that there shouldn't be more than one standard covering a single subject. Microsoft has being pointing out that OOXML as the format is called, covers another subject than covered by the already approved standard ODF. And furthermore Microsoft points that more standards will increase free competition.

Think about this example: If we had two (or more) standards covering the subject power outlets. This is a very good example how free competition should take action on the product and not the standard. With the standard in common, anybody can get access to the marketplace, if only you can fulfill the standard covering that subject.

Interoperability

Standards secures that we can change one product with another without worries. This is called interoperability: No matter what lamp you buy, you can be sure that the plug fits in the power outlet in your home. Interoperability was one of the most important arguments when the Danish parliament decided to implement open standards for office documents in the public sector.

Interoperability creates free competition. The situation today is, that Microsoft covers about 90% of the market for office applications in Denmark. Microsoft Office is the dominating product at that means that the document format used by this product becomes a de facto standard. If we can reach full interoperability, this will cause the end user to be able to decide what program to use. So Microsoft will loose the dominant position and more and more users will select other (less expensive) programs. Microsoft will then be forced to decrease the prize for the office suite. Microsoft is not motivated to reach interoperability.

Can't we just use one of those converter plug-ins ? Yes, but that will not be interoperability but compatibility. This will be the case when we have two different standards for power outlets. If you buy a lamp that doesn't fit in your power outlet, you must also buy a converter to but in between the outlet and the lamp. A converter can translate the power to another standard but you must expect to loose some quality.

Microsoft is trying to convince us, that interoperability between ODF and OOXML can be achieved using converters and plug-ins. What they really is trying, is to make us satisfied with compatibility. Microsoft is doing that by hinder true interoperability by not use or support ODF and by pushing compatibility by using and supporting the development of plug-ins.

Consequences

If we can reach true interoperability, we as consumers can make a free choise. Microsoft Office, OpenOffice.org or what ever you find most appropriate. If we don't reach interoperability, but instead accepts compatibility, we will continuously be tight up with Microsoft document format OOXML– no matter if we like it or not. Simply because 90% of us will be using it before we know it.

But can't OpenOffice.org just use OOXML as well ? Yes, but Microsoft will always be ahead. Because the core purpose of the format is to be a Microsoft format (thats how it is in the spec). We will not reach free competition.

OpenOffice.org Newsletter in Danish

The monthly newsletter is again on the street. This time with a breaking story about the Municipal of Tønder.

All elementary schools have changed to the use of free and open source software and the municipal has actually made a financial benefit analysis showing cost reduction DKK 410.000. If we project this amount of money into national level, we are talking about DKK 55 mio. that could be spend on more valuable project, teach books etc.

Newsletter: http://doc.oooforum.dk/Nyhed/2008Marts.pdf
Municipal of Tønder: http://www.toender.dk
Comments on Version2.dk: http://www.version2.dk/artikel/6450

Monthly newsletter in Danish

The monthly newsletter has been on the street for some more than a year now. The amount of receivers is increasing month by month. This issue is send to 975 people.

You can read the February edition as pdf here: http://doc.oooforum.dk/Nyhed/2008Februar.pdf

Don't let this boy near the airport

Sometimes you find funny news on the internet. Funny, but at the same time serious and dramatic. Now take this one about a 14 years old school boy from Poland ( http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_2675715.html ).
He hacked into the local tram system and played with the trains like it was his private toys. I specially like the part about the remote control. Can you imagine this biy standing in the corner of the central square with this little device - laughing.

Shame in you.

But how should the adults punish him ?

Of cause he must be punished. He have hurt several passengers and four trams were derailed. I suggest that he is ordered to work at the hospital or the local care center for elderly citizens for 10 days or so. Then he will see the consequences of his work. Furthermore he should be punished with at least four years in university. This guy clearly has perspective. I have a son aged twelve and of cause he couldn't do this. But what I think is, that a boy at this age can never be responsible for a thing like this. The responsible is the people responsible for the tram system. They should be punished hard.

Now comes the funny part. Imagine the above incident with this article ( http://blogs.zdnet.com/projectfailures/?p=562 ) about Boeing 787 at risk of in-flight hacking.

Imagine the boy with his remote control in the airport.

Danish OpenOffice.org newsletter

The January edition of the Danish OpenOffice.org monthly newsletter has just been released. You can read the pdf version here: http://doc.oooforum.dk/Nyhed/2008Januar.pdf

Subscribe to the newsletter here: nyhedsbrev-subscribe@da.openoffice.org?subject=Tilmeldingen%20sker%20ved%20at%20sende%20denne%20besked

The newsletter is in Danish. This time you can read about these topics:

Merry Christmas
Languages
Schools in municipal of Tønder
Sweden: municipal of Allingå
Competition
ODF Internationally
* The netherlands
* Norway
* Denmark
Analysis of open standards
Version 2.3.1
Version 2.4
Tip: language packs and spellcheckers
Tip: bullets and numbering
OpenOffice.org as web application
IBM Lotus Symphony beta 3
About the newsletter

Danish OpenOffice.org Newsletter

The December edition of the Danish OpenOffice.org monthly newsletter has just been released.

Read it !
Text edition: http://da.openoffice.org/servlets/ReadMsg?list=nyhedsbrev&msgNo=40
Pdf edition: http://doc.oooforum.dk/Nyhed/2007December.pdf