The Danish Competition Authority (report in English)

The Danish Competition Authority Recommends a Continued Use of all Open Standards for Office Software in the Public Sector

http://www.ks.dk/index.php?id=28728&L=1

Better late than ...

On April 4th I wrote a letter to members of Parliament in Denmark (Folketinget): "Standards and free competition" (English translation: http://translate.google.com/translate?u=http%3A//ft.dk/samling/20072/almdel/UVT/Bilag/129/545869.HTM&hl=da&langpair=auto|en&tbb=1&ie=UTF-8). This was at the time where the Paliament was discussing with the Minister of Science whether The Danish Competition Authority should be participating in the follow-up on Parliament decision B 103. Fortunately the Parliament agreed to tell the Minister to ask the competition Authority to participate.

Today I read in the media ( http://translate.google.com/translate?u=http%3A//www.version2.dk/artikel/7571&hl=da&langpair=auto|en&tbb=1&ie=ISO-8859-1) that Microsoft has answered. I don't know when they did, but I find it nice that Microsoft has taken their time to answer. One of the answers are, that Microsoft OOXML is an open standard because it's ...

1) Well documented and the complete specification is public awailable
2) Free implementable without any restrictions
3) Maintained in an open forum via an open process

Sorry Microsoft. two out of three (at least) missed this time.

English update in the Danish thing

This is easier than writing: http://ec.europa.eu/idabc/en/document/7661

Consensus in the Parliament

http://www.version2.dk/artikel/7121

It is expected that the Danish Parliament will reach consensus http://www.ft.dk/doc.aspx?/Samling/20072/forespoergsel/F24/index.htm about opening two new investigations about open standards:

1. First one is a technical investigation about the suppliers ability to provide full interoperability between the formats ODF and OOXML. This investigation will be carried out by a neutral part. Who that will be is not decided yet.
2. Second investigation will be about free competition. This investigation will be done by the Danish Consumer Agency http://www.forbrug.dk/english/ (Danish Competition Authority), an independent governmental organization.

This result must be considered acceptable. Even the Minister of Science and Technology agrees on theis one: http://videnskabsministeriet.dk/site/forside/nyheder/pressemeddelelser/2008/enigt-folketing-bag-koereplan-for-aabne-standarder

More details...

The Parliament decided today that implementation of open standards in Denmark will be watched by the The Danish Competition Authority and another neutral 3rd part. The theird part could be Professor Mogens Kühn Pedersen from Copenhagen business School (also chairman of the Danish National committee for document standards). Another person who has been menthioned is Judge Bo Vesterdorf (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bo_Vesterdorf), who is known for his time in European Court of Justice where he has convicted one of the major decisions against Microsoft in a law case.

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.

Bo Vesterdorf has been asked to help

Will Bo Vesterdorf be a part of the Danish decision or is it just a political maneuvre to get the miniter do what he is asked ?

Perhaps you don't know him. Perhaps you do. http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/04_14/b3877041.htm

Last year he was the leading judge in the case against Microsoft in the European Court. He was one of the key figures behind the historical judgement in the case about misusing their leading marked position.

Now the opposition parties in the Danish Parliament want him to be in charge of the investigation of B103 implementation. These parties has asked the Minister to order the The Danish Competition Authority to go into the work as agreed last year. The minister rejected and now the opposition is talking about asking Bo Vesterdorf to do it instead. -Woow.

Is it real or are they just teasing the minister to make him work with The Danish Competition Authority as he should ?

Meeting in the Parliament today

Apparently there has been a meeting in the Parliament today about dual standards. The discussion was among other topics about how to determine the result of the test period next year. The Minister of IT- and Science Helge Sander proposed to ask an independent external consultant to make the conclusions. This proposal was *not* approved by the Parliament.

They agreed on a loose approach to announce a group of independant experts supported by an external consultant.

The group shall evaluate the interoperability between ODF and OOXML and further more evaluate if there shall be only one document format in the future.

The 'Conservatives' wants only one format. They have no idea about what standard that should be.

The 'Labour' is awaiting answers from the experts before they make up their minds. As they say: "We will ask the experts about that".

The 'Liberal' sees no problems in making a single format choice. They also awaits answers from this group of experts.

The final decision is expected next summer.

Source: http://www.computerworld.dk/art/43612

This is quite mysterious because a few months ago, the Parliament agreed to ask the The Danish Competition Authority to be the leader of such investigation on behalf of the Parliament. And during the election last year, almost all political parties (all except the liberals) was pro single standard and ODF as the one.

Groklaw: Denmark Pretends MSOOXML is an "Open Standard"

According to Grocklaw the Danish government is pretending that EOOXML is an open standard approved by ISO. http://www.groklaw.net/article.php?story=20071211153924324

It's true that the public authorities is about to implement open standards in the public sector and that EOOXML is one of the accepted standards.

It must be emphasized that the ISO approval (or rejection) has never been a part of the discussion in the Danish Parliament. The ISO approval is not the final and true prove weather a document format is an open standard. ISO doesn't have the final word, but the the decision will of cause have effects in Denmark as well.

The Danish decision is this:

• ODF is an open standard (accepted)
• EOOXML is for now accepted as an open standard, but Microsoft must prove true openness in the process before end of 2008. The Danish Competition Authority has been asked to look after this.

I have talked to a few MP's about this both last summer when the discussion was open in the Parliament but also this late autumn where there was an election for Parliament. The politicians is very much aware of this problem and Microsoft will not get a final accept if the process isn't getting more open.

One year evaluation

For one year, beginning on January 1st. 2008, we will see both ODF and EOOXML as format for document exchange in the public sector. All software purchased must support at least one of the formats. Furthermore, all public offices must be capable of opening or reading documents of both formats.

There is no doubt that ODF is here to stay, but Microsoft must prove openness and willingness to other platforms and applications. The Members of the Parliament are very well aware, that Microsoft has an advantage, because of a existing marked share around 98%. If Microsoft can't prove that EOOXML can be implemented by other vendors and on other platforms, they will be dismissed.

The Danish Competition Authority has been asked to follow the competitive situation closely in the evaluation period.