Standards, open source vs. proprietary

Leadership by Numbers has two very illuminating posts:

Hope for Microsoft's OOXML Continues to Erode
Maybe ODF and OOXML is Not Black and White

It is important to concentrate on the merits of the case and not let it become a religious discussion.

Why standards matter

Rob Wier

It should have been obvious at the time that vesting exclusive control of an interoperability interface in a single company was a bad idea. But I guess the world didn't realize what dealing with Microsoft meant. But we know better now. So why are we making the same mistakes in 2007?

Those who control the exchange format, can control interoperability and turn it on or off like a water faucet to meet their business objectives.