[Web4lib] ODF, OOXML, in Ghana and the developing world

[Andrew Cunningham]

I'd argue that from an African perspective there are more fundamental
issues than which office suite application or document format you are
using. 

Personally I'd prefer an open, fully documented file
format. But there are other issues that also need to be addressed. The
availability of font rendering technologies, fonts and input systems for
African languages would be more fundamental issues.

I love the
approach Microsoft took with Nigerian languages in Windows Vista. They
added Hausa, Yoruba and Igbo to the list of input languages available in
Vista, but when you install those languages they use the US English
keyboard layout. I.e. there are no Hausa, Yoruba or Igbo layouts and no
way of typing the full alphabet of those languages, but they are defined
input locales in Windows Vista.  Go figure.

Andrew

On Sat, August 25, 2007 12:54 am, marshn at usa.net wrote:
>
Ramblings of an African Geek
> http://ghanageek.wordpress.com/
> Writes an article on:
> Background information on ODF,
OOXML and why It matters in the developing
> world
>
http://ghanageek.wordpress.com/2007/08/17/background-information-on-odf-ooxml-and-why-it-matters/
> 
> Speaking as someone who has a home in Ghana as well as
the US, this
> matters a
> great deal to Ghana's IT future
and information accessibility.  If anyone
> on
> Web4Lib
is in the position of explaining ODF and OOXML to managers or is
>
justifying funding, or hosting or attending a visit from Microsoft on
this
> topic, particularly in a developing country, this is as
neat and clear an
> explanation as you can find.  It provides a
good starting point for
> questions.
>  He summarizes the
background, and describes the problem clearly and
> succinctly. 
Microsoft is sending PR teams around the world to push their
>
products and viewpoints, I understand IBM is making some counter efforts.

> He
> attended a visit of Microsoft in Ghana, and has
indicated he will be
> writing
> about that meeting, and
about his questions in an upcoming post, which
> should
>
be entertaining as well.
> 
> 
> As he wrote
before the meeting:
> the Ghana Standards Board is jointly hosting
a seminar with Microsoft
> about
> their OOXML document
standard which the Standards Board will be voting on
> as
> an ISO spec.
> . . .
> I get to ask the MS
presenter questions. And this being Ghana, I’m
> willing
> to bet money they do not expect an informed
audience.
> 
> 
> Excerpt from:
>
Background information on ODF, OOXML and why It matters in the
developing
> world
> 
> Developing countries are
still building the vast majority of their IT
> infrastructure.
This means that they do not have a massive base of old
> documents
in a restricted format. Those documents are on paper. Their
>
offices
> are still being computerized. Their people are still
learning how to use
> those
> computers. If you are going
to teach someone to use an office suite
> anyway,
> what
difference does it make if that suite is MS Office, Openoffice.org or
> Google Writer? What difference does it make if those legacy
paper
> documents go
> to ODF or OOXML? Either way the
work has to be done and the money has to
> be
> spent.
> 
> The problem is, what happens when you lock yourself into
a company’s
> proprietary format because they
are giving you free stuff and claim the
> format
> is
open, then they start charging you for it and you realize all those
> alternatives they assured you existed can’t
fully open your documents
> and
> you are stuck with them
and their licence fees?
> 
>
http://ghanageek.wordpress.com/2007/08/17/background-information-on-odf-ooxml-and-why-it-matters/
> 
> 
> 
> Nell Marshall
> 
>

> 
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>
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> 


-- 
Andrew Cunningham
Research and Development Coordinator
Vicnet
State Library of Victoria
Australia

andrewc at vicnet.net.au