See also:

• Computers: Open Source: Advocacy  (40)
• Science: Reference: Standards  (325)
• Society: Issues: Intellectual Property: Patents  (14)

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Attachments in Proprietary Formats Considered Harmful - Explains the risks of exchanging data in non-public format and suggests the main alternatives..

Avoid E-Mail Attachments, Especially Microsoft Word - Short document with instructions to MS-Word users on alternatives they can use for document exchange..

Burn All GIFs - Campaign for replacing the (formerly) patent-encumbered GIF format by open standard graphics. Since the GIF formats has become patent-free, the site advocates against software patents..

Content Management and Edit Data Exchange - Article on formats interoperability in audio and video content..

Cover Pages: Patents and Open Standards - Investigates the effects of patent proliferation and criticizes reasonable and non-discriminatory license terms (RAND) for patented technologies..

Linux Standard Base - The goal of the Linux Standard Base (LSB) is to develop and promote a set of standards that will increase compatibility among Linux distributions and enable software applications to run on any compliant Linux system..

LinuxLab - Open Standards - Argues in favor of patent-free standards and suggests recommended formats for different kinds of content..

MS-Word Is Not a Document Exchange Format - Explains the appropriate use of document formats and argues against the use of Word attachments..

No Proprietary Binary Data Formats - Why not use proprietary formats and what are the main open alternatives..

Open Data Format Initiative - Initiative aiming to convince software companies to release data format documentation and to pass laws that governments can only store user data in open format. Presents its manifesto, forum, news, links to institutional resolutions..

Open Design Alliance - An association of CAD customers and vendors committed to promoting open, industry-standard formats for the exchange of CAD data. Hisotry, members, FAQ, and published papers..

Open Interoperative Document Initiative - Supports efforts by governments at all levels to ensure public documents are open and interoperable and thus available without the need for proprietary software. Includes resources and details of how to get involved..

Open Media Now! Foundation - Supports free ways to create, to distribute and display digital content by actively developing cross-platform solutions, such as Gnash..

Open Source versus Open Standards - Draws a distinction between open source advocacies and the promotion of public standards, warning against the confusion of these two initiatives..

Open Standards - What is a standard, what is an open standard, and why use open standards on the Internet..

Open Standards: Principles and Practice - Illustrates the principles behind format standardization and the practice of promoting formats interoperability..

Open Standards Repository - Archive of standards relevant to the Open Source community, including licenses, public standards, protocols, RFCs..

Openformats.org - Collaborative documentation projects on why use public standards and open formats and why avoid proprietary formats in data exchange..

OpenStandards.net - A not-for-profit organization connecting people to open standards and the bodies that build and foster their growth..

Please don't send me Microsoft Word documents - A discussion of the problems of MSWord as a document exchange format and what alternatives are available. Suitable for a non-technical audience..

The Principles of Open Standards - Ken Krechmer analyzes the distinct issues behind advocacy for non-proprietary formats..

Sincere Choice - Intercommunication and file formats should follow standards that are sincerely open for all to implement, without royalty fees or discrimination..

Streaming media: A case for open standards - Benefits of the development of open specifications for audio and video formats. By Rich Mavrogeanes..

W3C Patent Policy - Governs the handling of patents in the process of producing Web standards. The goal of this policy is to assure that Recommendations produced under this policy can be implemented on a Royalty-Free (RF) basis..

We Can Put an End to Word Attachments - Richard Stallman's arguments against the use of proprietary formats in document exchange..

Why Not Word! - Why not using Word, Excel or any other proprietary format to communicate..

Why There Are Not GIF Files on GNU Pages - Advocates against the use of image formats that are protected by patents. Presents a brief history of the GIF format as well as its open alternatives..

Business Case for Open Standards - Paper investigating economical issues related to the diffusion of public standards. (May 9, 2002).

Build Systems, Not Companies, on Open Standards - Without standards, every job is a one-off, and vendor lock-in is assured after the first project. Open standards are the beating heart of e-Business, without which concepts like intranets and business-to-business commerce would not be practical on a mass scale. (February 20, 2002).

Open Standards - The Only Option - Internet technologies and the economical challenge of open protocols. (May 1, 2001).