Comments on: Closed file formats

By: Michele Balistreri

Michele Balistreri — Fri, 29 Dec 2006 16:24:17 +0000

Thank you Chip, is a nice read. I see this issue has been talked long before i could even surf the web.

By: Chip Warden

Chip Warden — Fri, 29 Dec 2006 15:42:33 +0000

Michele,

I thought you might be interested in this. Please note the date it was written.

http://www.wired.com/news/technology/0,1282,9482,00.html

By: Michele Balistreri

Michele Balistreri — Fri, 29 Dec 2006 12:30:49 +0000

To Kirk Badger: Actually i’ve talked about open file formats, not open source software. Commercial software can and should publish the specifications of the file formats they are using for other software to implement. This does not mean they should also provide an open implementation or even start a community based development of said format. One positive example of this is the Adobe PDF format. Is open for everyone to implement compatible software, is widespread and yet its development is not community driven.

By: Kirk Badger

Kirk Badger — Fri, 29 Dec 2006 12:21:31 +0000

While it is true to have open source interchangeable formats is a goal there is something to be said for commercial software formats and software.
Many software developers or “engineers” are artists by nature.
Many of their projects may lack simple functionality and ease to the average user.
A commercial software project with its professional management and constraints while saddling users with propietary limiting formats will bring a product to market with some consistency inherent.
Look at Linux distros as an example .
Good for programmers to endlessly tinker with but not that functional for an average ( non programmer ) user if the distro does not meet their specific needs or they have to change or install something out of the immediate ordinary.