We all know the term “FUD“, don’t we? If you haven’t heard of it, it means “Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt”, and it was created by a big software monopoly, often headlined “Get the facts”.
Some years ago, I got the real facts. And the real FUD. And it was another software company who answered with their own website, headlined “Unbending the truth”. I’m speaking of Novell, and that website was cancelled ca. 2006, after their deal with Microsoft.
But thanks to archive.org, and thanks to sites like the Ubuntu Forum or people like Pamela Jones and her Groklaw, we don’t have to forget. So if you’re interested in the real truth, before Microsoft bought it out of Novells site, see it here. And follow these links, they’re all archived.
From the site, like it used to be until ca. 2006:
“Why all the fuss? Modern governments generate a vast number of digital files. From birth certificates and tax returns to criminal DNA records, the documents must be retrievable in perpetuity. So governments are reluctant to store official records in the proprietary formats of commercial-software vendors. This concern will only increase as e-government services, such as filing a tax return or applying for a driving licence online, gain momentum. In Microsoft’s case, security flaws in its software, such as those exploited by the recent Blaster and SoBig viruses, are also a cause of increasing concern.”
Amen to what used to be one of Novell’s brightest moments.
That explains why OOXML is so dangerous (and why decision makers should read that 1,600+ paper about its internals before deploying it), and it explains why we should rather use ODF instead. And it also explains why we are cheering and applauding about news like these, or about the Munich switch to Linux (in what they call “Limux”).
Let’s not forget why we’re doing all this.
This one was for you, Jimbo. Just in case you were a M$ troll.
Wolfgang, I really appreciate your effort to remind us all of the transformation of Novell. Also the links to the associated articles are fantastic. It helped put one final thing in perspective for me. The proprietary interests that are afraid of Linux and OSS have only one last option available to them to stop the migration of customers away from their lock-in products. Only one. They must lie.
Now for me, this means that they are even more vulnerable. All that is necessary is to reveal the truth to those that will listen. Those that listen and migrate will experience the benefits of OSS and Linux. Those that choose to continue being owned by the proprietary companies, will not be able to compete effectively. This will be due to their lower margins caused by the cost of the ball ‘n chain products they use. Also the poor update schedules of those price-gouging companies will leave their customers trapped in vulnerabilities and exploits.
“…and the truth shall make you free.” Not to mention competitive.