marbux wrote:
> It's even worse than the particular muddle you ask about because even
> which version of ODF is the definitive version depends on legal
> context. In the nations signatory to the Agreement on Technical
> Barriers to Trade and the Agreement on Government Procurement, all
> levels of government are required to use the ISO/IEC:26300 version of
> Open document as their technical regulations,and procurement
> specification if they want to specify ODF for their purposes.
I see a few problems with this statement.
- you are introducing legal speak into a primarily technical discussion
again. Even worse, you seem to be quoting a policy (not a law) for one
specific nation. I believe that legal issues are not for us to worry
about at this stage of the game. We are still trying to decide what we
are talking about. Only after that has been determined (iow: after the
charter has been drafted), THEN we would need to worry about legal issues.
- As a developer I need a something I can refer to when I am asked to
"conform" to that something. The question was raised as to WHICH of the
various forms of the ODF standard was to be considered definitive. In
plain speak, this is saying to me "Tell me which file to get so that I
can start working". Nothing more. ISO/IEC, legalities, etc. become
meaningless to me at that point. I only need to know what file to grab.
- I believe making a choice as to which ODF version and/or specific file
falls within the scope of this discussion list. You are alluding that
this is not the case, or at the very least are introducing discussion
that will delay that choice.
- Your proposal is forcing backwards compatibility back to the start of
time. This will be impossible. If there is any defining characteristic
for the technology industry, it is "change". There will come a time
where doing it the "old" way just doesn't make sense.
- However I do like the inclusion of what ODF version a conformance test
is expected to work against.
My thoughts on the issue:
- Pick a version.
- My vote would be for ODF 1.1. It is the current "official" standard.
- In that light, I believe this TC should always be working with the
most recent "official" version of ODF.
- So this is a moving target anyways.
- we can sit around and "discuss" this point till the cows come home.
It's a minor point. Pick a version/file and move on.
Shawn
