1. Open Document – The road to Linux “The greatest danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss it, but that it is too low and we reach it.” Michelangelo

2. Who am I? Ian Lynch Trained as a teacher of Physics and PE 1988 joined SMT of the first CTC Then worked at the CTC Trust (SSAT) Self-employed/own businesses since 1993 Founded the professional association for Registered Inspectors in Schools (IRIS) Founded IRL Computer Systems Ltd in 1998 Got interested in Open Source around 1999 Currently developing a new Awarding Body for schools called The Learning Machine

3. Involvement in Open Source Founder member of Schoolforge UK Member of AFFS Member of OSC Until recently education lead for the Open Office.org project Initiated the set up of Open Document Fellowship with Daniel and others Main point of contact for BECTA and the Open Source community

4. Strategies to make desktop linux ubiquitous Lower barriers to entry – educate, make change easier Include people currently disenfranchised Find out what motivates people and appeal to those emotions Viral infection requires sneezers Tipping points require numbers and confidence IT is a con game! Political and marketing considerations are as important as technical excellence.

5. Open Documents XML based file formats that are fully open Targeted to encourage the development of a range of applications An ISO standard (ISO 26300) The default format of OpenOffice.org but also being supported by other up and coming software even MSO 2007!

6. Why is it important? Enables anyone to produce software that can interoperate with other applications that support the ODF standard Is not controlled by any single commercial interest Enables better integration of information on the web with desktop applications Information stored in ODF format will always be available Sending E-mail attachments in ODF would end dependency on MSO to read and edit files. If fewer people use MSO the confidence in MS will drop which will have a direct effect on GNU/Linux

7. Why is ODF relevant to GNU/Linux? f Linux at the desktop needs confidence in end users When all the applications end users need are available on Linux why put up with the inconveniences of Windows? A big shift from MSO to OOo weakens confidence in MS Confidence in file compatibility makes migration easier and encourages developers to look beyond MS Office. We don't need 100% migration to tip the balance to GNU/Linux but the more support there is for applications that run on Linux the more likely people are to migrate

8. Microsoft are fighting to maintain the status quo! Rival Open XML format Trying to get ISO to recognise it Going through the ECMA to fast track to ISO But.... They are about a year behind Gartner say its unlikely that ISO will recognise two standards EU and Government's prefer ISO standards Some have already said they will migrate all government documents to ODF MS have been forced to provide support for ODF

9. What are the differences between MS OXML and ISO 26300? MS OXML is only targeted at one product from one vendor ISO 26300 is already supported by multiple vendors ISO 26300 is “clean” XML MS OXML includes embedded binaries that are not openly documented MS OXML is controlled by one vendor ISO 26300 is controlled by OASIS ISO 26300 is here now and in use MS OXML is a draft specification not yet used in any application MS OXML 4000 pages of documentation against ISO 26300 at 800 I

10. Innovation When you innovate, you've got to be prepared for everyone telling you you're nuts Larry Ellison CEO Oracle Corp. First they Ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win Mahatma Ghandi Every revolution goes through 3 phases (1) It's completely impossible. (2) It's possible, but it's not worth doing. (3) I said it was a good idea all along Arthur C Clarke.

11. Education get started on Open Source early Progressive certification from a young age 10% of te budget