Posted on June 14, 2011 by Simon Phipps
As expected, the Apache Software Foundation took the first steps to admitting the OpenOffice.org project to the Apache community, following Oracle’s IBM-designed proposal. It now faces a time of maturing and proving in Apache’s Incubator.
I’ve avoided publishing articles here during the Apache discussion as I have both a history and strong views. But with the end of voting, it’s time to document the story so far. You can read my views over on ComputerWorldUK.
If that’s TL;DR, here’s a summary: The best thing end-users can do is ignore OpenOffice.org at Apache, and switch to LibreOffice instead until the dust settles and we can all see a better path forward.
Filed under: ComputerWorldUK, LibreOffice, ODF | Tagged: Apache | 8 Comments »
Posted on June 13, 2011 by Simon Phipps
It was with huge sadness that we discovered last month that our cat Toby had died suddenly in a neighbour’s garden. He was young and in perfect condition. He had breakfast, went out to prowl in the sunshine and the next thing we knew was many hours later when we received a call to say he’d been found, perfect, unmarked and dead. The vet said it was most likely a blood clot which had stopped his heart.
That sadness is mitigated by the arrival of a new member of our family today. Our usual cat-provider-of-choice, the Cats Protection League, had a one-year-old stray on their books, and we collected her this evening. T S Eliot-inspired cat-naming is now in full swing. I expect her to be faster and more reliable than any of her predecessors – she is, after all, Cat 6.
Filed under: Zeitgeist | 3 Comments »
Posted on June 12, 2011 by Simon Phipps
Ever wondered why barbecues aren’t the staple of summer life for the British that they are for Californians? It’s because any time you try to plan one (like we have today, with a decent number of guests), the weather does this:
Filed under: Zeitgeist | Tagged: Party | 3 Comments »
Posted on June 11, 2011 by Simon Phipps
- Vote on accepting OpenOffice.org for incubation at Apache
After the heaviest traffic in recent memory on the Apache Incubator list, with many impassioned messages on both sides of the argument (along with some heavy-handed slapdowns here and there by proposers of the action), the vote is now open for 72 hours and looks like it will gain approval by a comfortable majority.
- My +1 Vote
I voted in favour of starting an incubator podling. I did this because I believe there is a strong future for a new project drawing code from OpenOffice.org and maintaining it for use by multiple projects, such as LibreOffice, RedOffice and Symphony. I believe it would be hard and misdirected work to attempt to build a full competitor to any one of those projects at Apache – a good explanation is on the mailing list.
If a re-usable reference implementation of ODF editors for each ODF sub-format can be created from the code Oracle is relicensing and maintained at Apache, it could be immeasurably positive for everyone. Over time I’d hope LibreOffice, Symphony and the rest could incorporate that new work, since the strongest path to interoperability by way of a clear and open specification with a shared open source reference implementation.
If on the other hand the Apache podling just turns into an opportunity for the known opponents of LibreOffice to attempt to compete with it using the “OpenOffice.org” name, that will be a dark development for software freedom and I’ve expressed my disapproval strongly elsewhere.
- An Invitation to Apache OpenOffice
While the official statement on IBM’s behalf is interesting, the discussion in the comments is far more enlightening. The statement itself completely ignores the existing ecosystem and speaks as if Apache is moving into a green field, but the comments reveal how the existing community feels about that as well as showing the intense and inexplicable antipathy IBM feels towards The Document Foundation in general and LibreOffice in particular. Note especially the wise and balanced comments from Jeremy Allison (of the Samba project).
-
The FSF’s statement is pretty balanced. I can’t help thinking they were forced to comment after misinterpretations of their advice on licensing were forcefully asserted by the proposers of the Apache podling despite correction from an FSF Board member.
Filed under: Links | 2 Comments »
Posted on June 10, 2011 by Simon Phipps
-
My own conversations of late suggest that wiser minds (or rather, minds that can make the reptile see the difference between food and fear) are starting to prevail in the various publishing industries, and the tone is softening as business models that leverage the realities of the 21st century instead of fighting them start to succeed.
-
This is bad news, but given the shift to the right that’s happened in SCOTUS not terribly surprising. Let’s hope that Congress sees the case and realises that the law needs updating, as appears to have happened in the UK given the request for and then result of the Hargreaves report.
Filed under: Links | Comments Off on ☞ Slow Progress To Modern Business
Posted on June 9, 2011 by Simon Phipps
-
One of the things I keep hearing some advisors saying is that VCs won’t invest in your startup (or at least are much less likely to) if you don’t have any patents, becuase patents protect your innovation. In turn, this meme is used by patent capitalists (like disaster capitalists only more active) to justify their assertion that patents promote innovation. Well, here’s one of the most respected VCs I know saying that’s just not so.
-
Looks like Scott is about to get back into directly running a business again. Wonderful!
-
For those random text applications, try something a little meatier next time.
Filed under: Links | 1 Comment »
Posted on June 8, 2011 by Simon Phipps
The why and wherefore of IPv6 Day, as well as plenty of handy links, are over on my blog at ComputerWorldUK.
Filed under: ComputerWorldUK | Comments Off on ☝ Happy IPv6 Day
Posted on June 7, 2011 by Simon Phipps
No chickens, and not the peregrine falcon I had hoped for, but the owl I was given for my birthday is splendid and we get on fine. It may even scare the pigeons off the fruit trees.
Filed under: Webmink | 1 Comment »
Posted on June 6, 2011 by Simon Phipps
-
The LibreOffice community is organising a conference. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if all the various strands that corporate intrigue have torn the OpenOffice community into were somehow able to come back together at this event?
-
I’d really not considered the money involved in official video uploads to YouTube, but it’s clearly significant. As this article explains, when you provide a convenient legal way for fans to get their music, they use it. All that hatred-of-fans stuff by the RIAA etc is incredibly stupid.
-
Interesting to see lots of people voting with their wallets.
Filed under: Links | Comments Off on ☞ Ending Division
Posted on May 30, 2011 by Simon Phipps
Filed under: Photography, Travel | Tagged: Austria | Comments Off on ✈ Old Vienna Reflected In New Vienna
Wild Webmink 