Texas: Open Format Bill Filed

From: consortiuminfo.org
-by Andrew Updegrove

 

Most of the attention this week relating to open document standards is focused on what responses ISO/IEC JTC 1 will have received before the February 5 deadline for submission of  "contradictions" involving the Microsoft OOXML formats.  I just posted this entry on that score, reporting that a total of nineteen national bodies have filed contradictions, complaints or other comments as part of the contradictions process.

But while this global drama has been playing out, I’ve learned that a third US state is considering requiring use of open document formats by government agencies (Massachusetts and Minnesota are the other two to date).  That state is Texas, where a bill has been introduced to require that only "open document formats" should be permitted.  The bill is designated SB 446, and was filed on February 5 (the full text is reproduced at the end of this blog entry).

How does the Texas bill define an open document format?  As stated in the bill, such a format would need to be based upon Extensible Markup Language, would need to have been previously approved, and would be required to meet the following criteria:

(1)  interoperable among diverse internal and external platforms and applications;

(2)  published without restrictions or royalties;

(3)  fully and independently implemented by multiple software providers on multiple  platforms without any intellectual property reservations for necessary technology; and

(4)  controlled by an open industry organization with a well-defined inclusive process for evolution of the standard.

The language quoted is somewhat problematic in a number of ways (how diverse is "diverse"?  does "without restriction" mean without even those restrictions that are deemed to be consistent with the most "open" standards in use today?) but clearly states the intention of the bill’s proponents.  Most notable, as regards the eligibility of OOXML and ODF would be the third requirement, which will certainly not be true with respect to OOXML for some time – and may never be true, depending upon whether "fully and independently implemented" means in an office productivity suite.  It could also be debated whether Ecma maintains a "well-defined inclusive process," given the size of its membership and the size of its membership fees. [more...]