Here's a draft of what will be a new permanent page on Groklaw, a timeline of all important events in the story of Massachusetts' adoption of Open Formats, Open Standards and it's a compilation of resources. It's in four sections: 1) resources; 2) by topic; 3) events chronologically; and 4) miscellaneous resources. There is some overlap, so that everyone can find what they are looking for, no matter how they approach it. If you can't find it anywhere else, look in the chronological list.

This is a group work by Groklaw members, on which many volunteers labored. It is intended as a resource for journalists, legislators, and the public, for anyone who wishes to understand the story better and/or who may be searching for a particular event or document related to this ongoing history.

Please look our draft over, and let me know of any corrections, additions, or subtractions, or if you see a better way to organize it, please suggest it. When it's finished, it will be added to the list of Groklaw's permanent links as ODF/MS-XML or MA TIMELINE, or some title you suggest. It has to be short to fit in the space for links. One thing I see we need to add is a section on the disability issue, if anyone wishes to tackle it.

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THE MASSACHUSETTS ODF-MS XML TIMELINE/RESOURCE PAGE

RESOURCES

Andy Updegrove's Standards blog
Sun's Simon Phipps
David Berlind
Microsoft's Brian Jones
IBM's Bob Sutor
Dan Bricklin
Peter Korn, Sun's Accessibility Architect

Audio, Video, Transcripts of Public Meetings:

Eric Kriss January 18, 2005 Speech on Open Formats -Transcripts and audio
MP3 of September 16 meeting on Open Formats - Transcript of meeting
Transcript of Oct. 31, 2005 hearing in MA, statements by Microsoft, asking to be included; Audio
Audio of December 14 meeting on ODF/MS XML in MA; Agenda for meeting, speakers; Transcript of MS' Alan Yates' remarks

TOPICS

Accessibility:

Massachusetts, Open Document, and Accessibility, by Peter Korn, SUN Accessibililty Architect
OpenOffice.org Accessibility Project
OpenOffice.org Disabilities and Assistive Technology
DOJ Section 508 Home Page; statute
ODF Subpar for Disabled? Not so Fast, Says Google Researcher
Top National Advocate for Disabled Sets Terms for Endorsement of ODF

Covenants Not to Sue:

Sun's ODF covenant not to sue
Microsoft Covenant Regarding Office 2003 XML Reference Schemas
Microsoft FAQ explaining covenant
Andy Updegrove's comparison of Sun's covenant not to sue with Microsoft's
Microsoft FAQ on Office 2003 XML

Legal:

Problems Noted in MS' Original License for XML - GPL Excluded
Larry Rosen Delighted with Microsoft's Covenant not to sue
Questions raised by Sun's Simon Phippps and Groklaw about Microsoft's covenant not to sue
2 escape hatches identified in covenant not to sue - confirmed by Larry Rosen
MA amendment offered to block ITD
MS Terms of Reference for Ecma
Sun's ODF covenant not to sue
Microsoft Covenant Regarding Office 2003 XML Reference Schemas
Microsoft FAQ explaining covenant
Andy Updegrove's comparison of Sun's covenant not to sue with Microsoft's
Microsoft FAQ on Office 2003 XML
Brief of the Information Technology Division Regarding Adoption of Open Document Format [PDF]- Linda Hamel, Esq., General Counsel, ITD, MA

Massachusetts Documents:

MA Enterprise Technical Reference Model (ETRM)
MA Public Records Law and the question of universal access
MA Information Technology Division FAQ on open policy
Brief of the Information Technology Division Regarding Adoption of Open Document Format [PDF]- Linda Hamel, Esq., General Counsel, ITD, MA

OpenDocument Format:

The Open Document Format for Office specification
Widipedia on OpenDocument
Answering Microsoft: Comments on Microsoft's Letter to MA ~ by David A. Wheeler
The Future Is Open: What OpenDocument Is And Why You Should Care

Standards:

Ecma Powerpoint on their policies
OASIS paper, Patents and Open Standards
When Open Standards Really Matter - The Katrina Factor
An Economic Basis for Open Standards

Tech:

CCIA Explains Interoperability Issues with MS' XML
Format comparison between ODF and XML
Security expert Dan Geer's Letter to MA Senator Pacheco

2005 EVENTS CHRONOLOGICALLY

MA says MS will change XML license to qualify - January 14

Eric Kriss Speech on Open Formats -Transcripts and audio, January 18

MA Posts New Draft of Open Formats standard, requests comments - March 22

Microsoft Tries to Qualify as Open Format - March 24

Problems Noted in MS' License for XML - GPL Excluded

MA Chooses OASIS OpenDoc XML as Office Standard - Requesting Comments - August 31

Sun's Simon Phipps answers critic of MA decision - September 8

MP3 of September 16 meeting on Open Formats - Transcript of meeting- September 16

MA - Final Decision to go with ODF - September 23

Reactions to MA decision to go with ODF - September 25

Comments from around the world on MA's ITD website

Sun's ODF covenant not to sue

OpenDocument XML standard submitted to the ISO/IEC JTC1 (International Organization for Standardization International Electrotechnical Commission's Joint Technical Committee) for further approval as a de jure standard, September 2005

Pro-MS FUD on FOX News and corrections - September 29, 30

Microsoft To Support PDF in Office 12 - October 3

Microsoft's Initial Reaction: Unfair - October 15

Microsoft: We were railroaded in Massachusetts on ODF, ZDNET, Berlind - October 17

MS won't support ODF Microsoft's Second Reaction, maybe to ODF - October 16

French company found writing ODF plugin for MS - October 27

Microsoft General Manager Alan Yates' letter to MA in opposition to ODF

KOffice letter in reply; other letters

Answering Microsoft: Comments on Microsoft's Letter to MA ~ by David A. Wheeler - October 29

Transcript of Oct. 31, 2005 hearing in MA, statements by Microsoft, asking to be included; Audio

MA politicians intervene, the disability issue - November 3

Sun Microsystem's CEO Scott McNealy's letter to Peter Quinn, ITD Director & Chief Information Officer for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts

Sun announces they'll convert Word files to ODF - November 8

Andy Updegrove reports on political events November 9

Brief of the Information Technology Division Regarding Adoption of Open Document Format [PDF] by Linda Hamel, Esq., General Counsel, ITD, MA, submitted to The Honorable Marc Pacheco, Chair, Senate Post Audit Committee - November 16

MA politicos try to wrest control of IT decisions - Amendment introduced - November 17

MS announces Ecma submission plan; Larry Rosen supports it - November 21

MS covenant not to sue announced - November 23

Boston Globe attack on Peter Quinn - November 26; exonerated December 10

Reactions to MS' "glimmer of openness" in covenant not to sue and some history of MS standards tricks - November 28

MA warms to MS after announcement about Ecma - November 28

Legal and other questions raised by Sun's Simon Phippps and Groklaw about Microsoft's covenant not to sue and issues about Ecma policies - November 29

2 escape hatches identified in covenant not to sue - confirmed by Larry Rosen - December 2

IBM's letter to Gov. Romney - December 5

The terms of reference for MS' ECMA submission leaked - December 7

CCIA Calls on Ecma to Reject MS XML - December 7

Ecma votes yes to setting up MS technical committee - December 8

Security expert Dan Geer's letter to Sen. Pacheco - December 9

Microsoft publishes FAQ explaining covenant not to sue - December 13

Audio of December 14 meeting on ODF/MS XML in MA; Agenda for meeting, speakers; Transcript of MS' Alan Yates' remarks - December 14

5 US Library Associations Support ODF, Send Letter to MA Sec. of State William Galvin

MISCELLANEOUS