GeekPAC

In this blog post, Walt Hucks absolutely destroys Microsoft’s propaganda against AB 1668. If you know of anyone on the fence about this issue, direct them to that one page. Some choice quotes:

While I support the use of XML-based files for these documents, you have to admit that California did not get a choice as to whether the state was going to be required to purchase all new software and rewrite all of its custom software. This is what happens when one company controls the standard.

Absolutely. Everyone who complains about how much this will cost to rectify merely underscores the central point – that our government is at the behest of a single organization. Why do we allow this, especially now that there *is* another choice?

Because of this, Microsoft can make minor, incompatible changes every two to three years, which forces you to buy the newest version of their software when the existing software worked fine until they broke compatibility.

And therein lies the rub – it’s all about control.  Microsoft is afraid of losing its control (and market position), and you can predict all of its actions with respect to this issue from that simple assumption.

I have more reasons for being concerned with this issue, but more on that this weekend.