The IT people at CoM decided against Microsoft because, in commentator David Wheeler's words: 'If you choose Microsoft's XML format, you have decided against open competition, in perpetuity. A na've reader might not realize this, but Massachusetts has been researching this issue for a long time, and has learned that the details matter.'
Soon after the announcement when Microsoft's XML found itself out in the cold, the CoM IT people responsible were hauled in front of a senate committee, where, amongst other displays of pretended ignorance, the head senator in charge displayed a touching and almost believable na'vet' about how lobbying works (this was before Representative Randy Cunningham pleaded guilty to bribe charges).
When counsel for the hapless IT department, Linda Hamel, described how all opposition to ODF had come from Microsoft-funded front groups, Senator Pacheco responded with: 'So you are saying Citizens against Government Waste or Americans for Tax Reform are a wholly owned subsidiary of Microsoft? Is that what you are saying?'
Naturally, she did not say that. I urge you to read the entire hearing if you want to see what Microsoft-sponsored bullying looks like. But if Pacheco thinks Microsoft does not lobby, then he is misinformed. Microsoft's budget for lobbying eclipsed even Enron's in 2002, and the company has been so successful at it that even the dead wrote letters to the Feds back in 2001, asking them to go easy during the anti-trust trial.
It is all too convenient, methinks. The IT guys go with ODF, Microsoft leaves itself out of contention, and then the CoM staff suddenly get hauled in front of a senate committee for supposedly violating some obscure procedures (which, actually, they did not).
Shortly thereafter a Bill is introduced which strips them of decision-making power. Then, in probably the most pathetic display of reporting I have ever seen, The Boston Globe accuses the chief IT dude of not declaring all his expenses on his conference trips, to the tune of some US$220 or so. Hold the front page! He must be corrupt!
Coincidentally, Massachusetts then suddenly announces that: 'The Commonwealth is very pleased with Microsoft's progress in creating an open document format. If Microsoft follows through as planned, we are optimistic that Office Open XML will meet our new standards for acceptable open formats.'
Readers, I want to tell you something about Free Software and Open Source, often referred to as FOSS or sometimes FLOSS - the extra L standing for Libre (free as in freedom). No-one forces you to use it. If you do not like it, you do not have to use it. The authors will not go running to the authorities like spoiled children and compel you to use it. They will shrug and carry on writing it for themselves and anyone else who wants. If you send them feedback they will sometimes take your concerns into consideration.
But, when all is said and done, they are not going to get all medieval on your assets. There are far more important things in life than trying to bully your customers into doing what they do not want to do. Sony is learning this lesson very quickly. Microsoft might need a little more time.
-- Charl Bergkamp is an overworked, underpaid systems support engineer in the Lambda Bureau, the ICT department of the Ministry of Boards, Committees and Working Groups. He would love to hear from kindred spirits in the ICT corporate world. Send tip-offs, hints and blatant accusations to charl.bergkamp@gmail.com.