Massachussets is mandating Open Document as it’s document format for the simple utility of it’s available, non-changing standard.
ZDNet still doesn’t understand what the differences between open source software and an open standard are… they don’t equate.
Open source is a way to license your software for distribution to others. Generally it preserves the receivers right to get a crack at the source code (open… source, get it?).
Open standards are ways of doing things (standards) that are either free to license or licensed for a standard set fee to all commers. Hence open. They’re generally freely availble to view in either case.
Open Document Format is a specific open standard.
You also might note that there is no specification as to what will work with the ODF files. The article referenced implies that Open Office is the only option, which is far from the truth. Mass spec’d out a standard for their documentation, not an “office suite” to use that standard with.
OpenDocument Ref’d as Open Source
