[CLUE-Tech] [Fwd: [discuss] the threat to OOo filters]

[Jeffery Cann]

Once again, M$ shows how behind the times they are.  IBM has had this 
technology available for many years.

Jeff

On Saturday 23 March 2002 12:42, Kevin Cullis wrote:
> Hi,
>
> Thought you all might like to read where OO is going and what MS is
> doing about it.
>
> Kevin
>
> James Treleaven wrote:
> > I am surprised that I have not seen any discussion of the CNET article:
> > "New Windows could solve age-old format puzzle--at a price", which is
> > posted on the CNET News.com site:
> > http://news.com.com/2009-1017-857509.html
> >
> > It talks about replacing Microsoft's "antiquated file system with modern
> > database technology" which will "mean easier, faster and more reliable
> > searches for information".
> >
> > The sidebar to the article says:
> > "Microsoft is replacing the plumbing of its Windows operating system with
> > technology borrowed from its SQL Server database software.  Currently,
> > documents, Web pages, e-mail files, spreadsheets and other information
> > are stored in separate, mostly incompatible software.  The new technology
> > will unify storage in a single database built into Windows that's more
> > easily searchable, more reliable, and accessible across corporate
> > networks and the Internet."
> >
> > So - Microsoft wants to get rid of application files and store everything
> > in a database.  How convenient.
> >
> > It is a brilliant strategic move.  After all, Microsoft users are not
> > 'chained down' by their loyalty to Windows - they are chained down by
> > their loyalty to their most heavily used Office applications -
> > principally Word and Excel.
> >
> > Openoffice.org hopes to win these users over, but to do so we rely on the
> > critical interoperability provided by our import/export filters.  I
> > personally have been writing letters to antitrust officials begging them
> > to force Microsoft to publish the specifications of the file formats for
> > their Office applications.  Such publication would just about completely
> > level the playing field, and allow users to use whichever office
> > productivity applications they like.  This in turn would give people much
> > more flexibility in choosing operating systems.
> >
> > But just think - what if there were no file formats to publish?  'Sorry
> > judge, we would like to - but the data is not stored in files.  It is
> > stored in a database that is an indivisible part of the operating
> > system.'
> >
> > The database records will of course be totally inaccessible to any
> > program other than the application that stored them - for security
> > reasons.  Throw in some encryption, and if Microsoft is really smart, a
> > patented API by which applications read/write to/from the datastore - and
> > interoperability with other office applications will become a priori
> > impossible.
> >
> > People will still need to collaborate on documents of course (that is, to
> > exchange 'files').  But the documents will simply move (via .NET) from
> > the datastore buried deep in the guts of a Windows OS running on one
> > computer, to a datastore embedded in a MS OS running on another computer.
> >  Microsoft will gradually make the whole thing more and more opaque ...
> > to the point at which people will not even think of files anymore.  The
> > concept of 'files' may be something that is taught to our great
> > grandchildren in history class.
> >
> > While the US Department of Justice is busy conceding the last war - the
> > one in which Microsoft 'integrated' Internet Explorer in the operating
> > system - Microsoft is moving its battalions ahead to win the coming war.
> >
> > The CNET article, to which I referred, says that Microsoft is hard at
> > work on this new 'storage technology' - and the breathless tone of the
> > article indicates that Microsoft is hard at work selling the concept and
> > all of its 'benefits' to the public.
> >
> > We shouldn't underestimate the cunning of Microsoft's strategy of
> > integrating more and more functionality into the operating system. 
> > Combined with an opaque OS hosted datastore and .NET - this strategy
> > could allow Microsoft to achieve a critical mass of proprietary
> > interconnections which could quickly grow to be completely unassailable.
> >
> > James
> >
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