Quote:
Originally Posted by tribble
So while i agree with rlauzon, that an open standard, that can be implemented by anyone would be a great advantage, and he definately is right, that the mobipocket is a closed format, he is also trying to force happiness on people who do not want it.
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Not at all.
I am making sure that people are aware of what they are getting.
How would you feel if your new Ford could only use Ford gasoline and Ford tires, and drive on Ford-approved roads?
If you knew those restrictions before you purchased and thought it was a good deal, then fine. But how would you feel if you didn't know those restrictions before hand?
I've been working in the computer industry for over 20 years. I've seen, time and again, where a company gives away something to drive out the competition. Then changes their mind when you can no longer drop their product without incurring plenty of pain. Microsoft is a wonderful example of this.
The only way to protect yourself is not to become dependent on any "standard" that is owned by a single entity.
The ODF/OOXML controversy that's been going on is a recent example of how many people are realizing that having all their documents in a proproprietary format is not a good thing.