> -----Original Message----- > From: tclug-list-bounces at mn-linux.org > [mailto:tclug-list-bounces at mn-linux.org]On Behalf Of Tony Yarusso > Sent: Tuesday, February 15, 2011 4:39 PM > To: TCLUG Mailing List > Subject: Re: [tclug-list] checking my refund status, found this > > > On Tue, Feb 15, 2011 at 11:55 AM, Nathan Caza > <mastercactapus at gmail.com> wrote: > > yeah, I've used it before, haven't tried it here I'll see if it works; > > I just don't like the idea of a govt. website requiring it.. > > Keep that in mind around caucus time next year when my Open Formats in > Government platform resolution makes the rounds again. ;) > > - Tony Tony, didn't MN adopt some degree of open format requirement a few years ago? Usual rationale includes a desire to have archives stable under proprietary format changes, as well as a desire/requirement for multi-vendor sourcing and avoiding sole-source Microsoft licensing contracts. I thought the Microsoft proprietary *.docx and maybe others had been forbidden for official use and submissions, as is the case in some state and fed orgs elsewhere and in much of Europe. Is there a location with statue of open format requirements around the country? A legal clerk recently told me that "the legal profession" has standardized on *.docx. This person doesn't seem alert enough to know more than her office practice, let alone any state-wide standard. A head admin in Dakota County legal stuff sez their practice is *.doc whenever outside their org, but *.docx is OK internally. My mother is on staff at the GWU Grad School of Law in DC and says they use *.doc and not *.docx for the DC government community, but she doesn't know about official standards. RECOMMENDATION: Make and supply a brief "How to" sheet for setting format default in Word, etc!! Most of the people (users especially) involved with Microsoft stuff do not know that the *.doc option is a) always available, and b) can and should be set as default. Most have no idea how to choose or to get it set as their default. Footnotes could mention that there is no significaant new feature in Word since 1997 Pro. Changes are no more than piddly changes to doc storage formatting (not actual document composition or structure) to make naive folk believe they must pay for upgrades. Earlier docs are completely compatible with newer WORD versions, and can be edited, printed or just used with NO extra work. Another footnote could mention that Open Office if free and does it all. Use of ANY proprietary formats, web or other, should be outlawed for both archive integrity and procurement economy reasons. Chuck