Linux news

2007 07 03

Microsoft Political Manipulation in Massachusetts Knows No Bounds

Microsoft document formats gain Mass. favor

Massachusetts caused a stir among governments and the technology industry nearly two years ago when it mandated the use of "open formats" in desktop applications. [...] "We completely agree: ooXML looks backward, while ODF is an international ISO standard, and is forward looking. The public understands this, too, as nearly 15,000 people opposing ooXML have signed an online petition circulated by the Foundation for a Free Information Infrastructure. We look forward to seeing the public discussion in the Commonwealth," Sutor said in a statement.

http://s5h.net/u?zcc57
So, they pressured CIOs out of their jobs and replaced them with Microsoft lobbyists. To the corrupt monopoly, this is a happy ending. Related: MA Governor-Elect Names MS Anti-ODF Lobbyist to Technology Advisory Group

That person is Brian Burke, the Microsoft Regional Director for Public Affairs, and if that surprises you, it surprises me as well, given the degree of acrimonious debate and disinformation witnessed in Massachusetts over the last 15 months involving the Information Technology Division's transition to ODF.

http://s5h.net/u?z411
Interview with Christian Fernandez, of Binary Freedom

Unfortunately, companies like Microsoft have thrown around their financial and political weight to combat our work. They defeated a measure in Florida through lobbying and the only way this abuse will stop is if we continue to fight them.

http://s5h.net/u?ze85c
Second CIO:

As CIO of Massachusetts from February to November last year, Louis Gutierrez had to endure most of the brunt of Microsoft Corp.'s political wrath over a state policy calling for the adoption of the Open Document Format for Office Applications, or ODF -- a rival to the software vendor's Office Open XML file format.

http://s5h.net/u?z955a
First CIO:

Quinn: Almost to a person, to anybody involved or who knows about the ODF issue, they attributed the story to Microsoft, right, wrong or otherwise. Senator Pacheco may be a bully but I do not believe he is disingenious and would stoop to such a tactic. Senator Pacheco and Secretary Galvin's office remain very heavily influenced by the Microsoft money and its lobbyist machine, as witnessed by their playbook and words, in my opinion.

http://s5h.net/u?z1d7
State's move to open formats not a mass migration

And Microsoft itself lobbied heavily against the original open formats policy after it was announced by the ITD. [...] The slower-than-planned adoption of ODF in Massachusetts appears to have influenced state legislators in Texas who recently quashed a bill calling for the use of open document formats -- one of five such proposals that have been defeated or shelved in the U.S. this year following strong opposition from Microsoft and its allies in the IT industry.

http://s5h.net/u?z6730