On May 2, 2007, at 2:03 PM, Gary Edwards wrote:
> The "problematic" difference between the two proposals will only be
> evident when converting from the Sun/KOffice new list model back to
> existing file formats. Which is to say that the Sun/KOffice list
> model is a one way conversion. The Novell proposal is designed to
> accommodate a two way conversion.
For the record, my own position on the outside of this conversation
(I did not vote) is that:
1) it is not in our charter to support round-trip conversion with MS
Office files. This is not some formality, because I actually really
like the TC charter; it seems designed to achieve the best technical
outcome.
2) there was what I would call a serious breakdown in communication
in this process such that the value or wisdom of Florian's proposal
was not at all clear. E.g. if 1 were in our charter, I still am
unconvinced Florian's solution was the right one to achieve that
goal. That's not to say that it was a bad proposal or a good one;
just that it became very, very difficult to discern signal from noise
in this conversation.
So I suggest whatever process led to this confusion this time around
not be repeated in the future.
3) at a certain point, we need a formal -- and public -- way to
resolve interoperability issues between OOXML and ODF. We cannot have
people slipping in unstated requirements of this sort every time we
entertain some enhancement. I don't know what kind of political or
organizational work needs to be done to make this happen, but I
suggest somebody step up and do it.
Bruce
