Re: Microsoft does a good deed

Roedy Green wrote:
> European courts have forced Microsoft to do***ent the formats of its
> various application files and provide im****t/ex****t in various
> standard formats.
> 
> We North Americans will get the benefit of this. 
> 
> It will reduce MS lockin, but it will make their products more useful
> when it is possible to create, extract and manipulate that application
> data with third party programs.
> 
> I think of it this way. The data belongs to the customer, not to MS.
> What they were doing was like a bank that refused to honour
> withdrawals.
> --
> 
> Roedy Green Canadian Mind Products
> The Java Glossary
> http://mindprod.com
What makes you think you're data belongs to you? Just ask the RIAA or 
MPAA.  Not to mention that your OS doesn't belong to you either, you're 
granted permission to *use* it not own it.

I know it sounds cynical, but have you actually read your EULA on 
microsoft products?

Anyway, this is a step in the right direction! I think though this is 
actually better for Microsoft than the community at large.  Opening 
their format will increase the value of there products by allowing 
third-parties to add value.

-- 
Daniel Pitts' Tech Blog: <http://virtualinfinity.net/wordpress/>