trans-coord/gnun/philosophy no-word-attachments...

[Yavor Doganov]

CVSROOT:        /sources/trans-coord
Module name:    trans-coord
Changes by:     Yavor Doganov <yavor>   08/07/11 18:10:34

Modified files:
        gnun/philosophy: no-word-attachments.html 

Log message:
        Automatic sync from the master www repository.

CVSWeb URLs:
http://cvs.savannah.gnu.org/viewcvs/trans-coord/gnun/philosophy/no-word-attachments.html?cvsroot=trans-coord&r1=1.4&r2=1.5

Patches:
Index: no-word-attachments.html
===================================================================
RCS file: 
/sources/trans-coord/trans-coord/gnun/philosophy/no-word-attachments.html,v
retrieving revision 1.4
retrieving revision 1.5
diff -u -b -r1.4 -r1.5
--- no-word-attachments.html    8 Jul 2008 18:10:30 -0000       1.4
+++ no-word-attachments.html    11 Jul 2008 18:10:33 -0000      1.5
@@ -32,44 +32,47 @@
 But it hurts us, too, when they assume we use Word and send us (or
 demand that we send them) documents in Word format.  Some people
 publish or post documents in Word format.  Some organizations will
-only accept files in Word format: someone I know was unable to apply
-for a job because resumes had to be Word files.  Even governments
-sometimes impose Word format on the public, which is truly outrageous.</p>
+only accept files in Word format: I heard from someone that he was
+unable to apply for a job because resumes had to be Word files.  Even
+governments sometimes impose Word format on the public, which is truly
+outrageous.</p>
 
 <p>
 For us users of free operating systems, receiving Word documents is an
-inconvenience.  But the worst impact of sending Word format is on
-people who might switch to free systems: they hesitate because they
-feel they must have Word available to read the Word files they
-receive.  The practice of using the secret Word format for interchange
-impedes the growth of our community and the spread of freedom.  While
-we notice the occasional annoyance of receiving a Word document, this
-steady and persistent harm to our community usually doesn't come to
-our attention.  But it is happening all the time.</p>
+inconvenience or an obstacle.  But the worst impact of sending Word
+format is on people who might switch to free systems: they hesitate
+because they feel they must have Word available to read the Word files
+they receive.  The practice of using the secret Word format for
+interchange impedes the growth of our community and the spread of
+freedom.  While we notice the occasional annoyance of receiving a Word
+document, this steady and persistent harm to our community usually
+doesn't come to our attention.  But it is happening all the time.</p>
 
 <p>
 Many GNU users who receive Word documents try to find ways to handle
 them.  You can manage to find the somewhat obfuscated ASCII text in
 the file by skimming through it.  Free software today can read some
 Word documents, but not all&mdash;the format is secret and has not been
-entirely decoded.  Even worse, Microsoft can change it at any time.
-Worst of all, it has already done so.</p>
+entirely decoded.  Even worse, Microsoft can change it at any time.</p>
 
 <p>
-Microsoft Office 2007 uses the patented OOXML format by default.
-(This is the one that Microsoft is trying to make an ISO standard by
-using its lobbying power on national standards organizations.)  Microsoft
-offers a gratis patent license for OOXML on terms which do not allow
-free implementations.  We will soon begin to receive Word files
-in a format that free programs are not allowed to read.</p>
+Worst of all, it has already done so.  Microsoft Office 2007 uses by
+default a format based on the patented OOXML format.  (This is the one
+that Microsoft got declared an &ldquo;open standard&rdquo; by
+political manipulation and packing standards committees.)  The actual
+format is not entirely OOXML, and it is not entirely documented.
+Microsoft offers a gratis patent license for OOXML on terms which do
+not allow free implementations.  We are thus beginning to receive Word
+files in a format that free programs are not even allowed to read.</p>
 
 <p>
-If you think of the document you received as an isolated event, it is
-natural to try to cope with it on your own.  But when you recognize it
+When you receive a Word file, if you think of that as an isolated
+event, it is natural to try to cope by finding a way to read it.  But
 as an instance of a pernicious systematic practice, it calls for a
 different approach.  Managing to read the file is treating a symptom
-of a chronic illness.  To cure the illness, we must convince people
-not to send or post Word documents.</p>
+of an epidemic disease.  What we really want to do is stop the disease
+from spreading.  That means we must convince people not to send or
+post Word documents.</p>
 
 <p>
 I therefore make a practice of responding to Word attachments with a
@@ -112,9 +115,9 @@
 Some recruiters ask for resumes in Word format.  Amazingly, some
 recruiters do this even when looking for someone for a free software
 job.  (Anyone using those recruiters for free software jobs is not
-likely to get someone competent.)  To help change this practice, you
-can put a link to this page into your resume, next to links to other
-formats of the resume.  Anyone hunting for a Word version of the
+likely to get a competent employee.)  To help change this practice,
+you can put a link to this page into your resume, next to links to
+other formats of the resume.  Anyone hunting for a Word version of the
 resume will probably read this page.</p>
 
 <p>
@@ -154,13 +157,12 @@
 with a different version of Word; they may not work at all.</em></p>
 
 <p>
-<em>Receiving Word attachments is bad for you because they can carry
+<em>Receiving Word documents is bad for you because they can carry
 viruses (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macro_virus).
-Sending Word attachments is bad for you, because a Word document
+Sending Word documents is bad for you, because a Word document
 normally includes hidden information about the author, enabling those
 in the know to pry into the author's activities (maybe yours).  Text
 that you think you deleted may still be embarrassingly present.  
-
 See http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/3154479.stm for more info.
 </em></p>
 
@@ -169,8 +171,8 @@
 use Microsoft software and helps to deny them any other choice.  In
 effect, you become a buttress of the Microsoft monopoly.  This
 pressure is a major obstacle to the broader adoption of free software.
-Would you please reconsider the use of Word format for communication
-with other people?</em></p>
+Would you please switch to a different way of sending files to other
+people, instead of Word format?</em></p>
 
 <p>
 <em>To convert the file to HTML using Word is simple.  Open the
@@ -192,6 +194,10 @@
 the pdf converter.  Click on the Print button and enter a name for the
 pdf file when requested.</em></p>
 
+<p>
+<em>See http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/no-word-attachments.html for more
+about this issue.</m></p>
+
 <hr />
 
 <p>
@@ -288,7 +294,7 @@
 <p>
 Updated:
 <!-- timestamp start -->
-$Date: 2008/07/08 18:10:30 $
+$Date: 2008/07/11 18:10:33 $
 <!-- timestamp end -->
 </p>
 </div>