Reliable Interoperation between OpenOffice & MS office by UOML Alex Wang Chair/OASIS UOML TC Chairman / Sursen Co.

Compatibility issues block OpenOffice Open Office's functions are rich enough for normal users It's difficult to work without MS Office documents Although you can order the whole enterprise to install OpenOffice, you can ’ t unify the formats used by outside people With its large market share, MS office owns unbeatable market advantage Massachusetts tried to install OpenOffice only, but failed; Instead, they had to support dual standards, and considered using ODF plug-in for MSOffice

Open Office's functions are rich enough for normal users

It's difficult to work without MS Office documents

Although you can order the whole enterprise to install OpenOffice, you can ’ t unify the formats used by outside people

With its large market share, MS office owns unbeatable market advantage

Massachusetts tried to install OpenOffice only, but failed; Instead, they had to support dual standards, and considered using ODF plug-in for MSOffice

Compatibility Solutions 1. Edit the existing contents in the original way Required to purchase the original software Can ’ t guarantee the original layout after modification Not reliable 2. Append new contents upon existing ones The existing contents shouldn't be modified Able to guarantee layout Very reliable Behaves the same way as paper handling, which can be accepted by normal users UOML adopts the 2 nd solution, providing the same compatibility as paper exchange!

1. Edit the existing contents in the original way

Required to purchase the original software

Can ’ t guarantee the original layout after modification

Not reliable

2. Append new contents upon existing ones

The existing contents shouldn't be modified

Able to guarantee layout

Very reliable

Behaves the same way as paper handling, which can be accepted by normal users

UOML adopts the 2 nd solution, providing the same compatibility as paper exchange!

Different software can't process the same document. MS-Word can't open MS-Excel file Paper is still the only interoperable platform. A pen can write on any paper A paper can be written by any pen Document Interoperability issues

Document Interoperability issues

Current solutions for interoperation

Current solutions for interoperation

Standardize Storage formats - not a solution Previous efforts have limited impacts on making document storage format standards Industry practices over the past decade proved it ’ s not a solution Simple format, e.g. TXT, can ’ t meet the need of various software For complicated ones, e.g. OpenXML, only a few companies or even one company among hundreds of thousands software companies all over the world, have enough resources and professional technology required to handle it Block innovation Affect performance optimization, portability, and scalability

Previous efforts have limited impacts on making document storage format standards

Industry practices over the past decade proved it ’ s not a solution

Simple format, e.g. TXT, can ’ t meet the need of various software

For complicated ones, e.g. OpenXML, only a few companies or even one company among hundreds of thousands software companies all over the world, have enough resources and professional technology required to handle it

Block innovation

Affect performance optimization, portability, and scalability

SQL vs. DBF DBF was market standard of database storage format Why not continue to improve DBF format? Why SQL? High performance database(Oracle,DB2...) uses very complicated storage format, e.g. it is storage media related Is it possible that every application can read/write this format itself? Few companies are able to parse such complicated format It is certain that the data will be destroyed by bugs of some software when they save data SQL avoids this problem Although to implement the operation is skillful and difficult, a request for the operation is straight forward to any programmer The storage of data is maintained by professional company to ensure the integrity of data

DBF was market standard of database storage format

Why not continue to improve DBF format? Why SQL?

High performance database(Oracle,DB2...) uses very complicated storage format, e.g. it is storage media related

Is it possible that every application can read/write this format itself?

Few companies are able to parse such complicated format

It is certain that the data will be destroyed by bugs of some software when they save data

SQL avoids this problem

Although to implement the operation is skillful and difficult, a request for the operation is straight forward to any programmer

The storage of data is maintained by professional company to ensure the integrity of data

SQL vs. UOML Unstructured Document MS Office Open Office UOML Writer SEP Docbase …… ……… UOML SQL Structured Data DB2 Oracle SQL Server Finance system ERP Accounting ……… …

What is UOML? UOML - Unstructured Operation Markup Language. UOML is NOT a document storage format. UOML is the “ SQL ” for unstructured information UOML defines an unified operating interface through the abstract description of unstructured documents Based on XML, cross-platform, programming language independent, specific application independent Define general document operating functions

UOML - Unstructured Operation Markup Language.

UOML is NOT a document storage format.

UOML is the “ SQL ” for unstructured information

UOML defines an unified operating interface through the

abstract description of unstructured documents

Based on XML, cross-platform, programming language independent, specific application independent

Define general document operating functions

UOML Helps Interoperation UOML provides the same interoperability as a paper ANY UOML application can open ANY document (including UOML document and non-UOML document) ANY UOML document can be processed by ANY UOML application Three steps to open MS Office documents reliability Use MS Office to open its document Generate a UOML document by UOML Writer open a UOML document in OpenOffice, append new contents on existing ones

UOML provides the same interoperability as a paper

ANY UOML application can open ANY document

(including UOML document and non-UOML document)

ANY UOML document can be processed by ANY UOML application

Three steps to open MS Office documents reliability

Use MS Office to open its document

Generate a UOML document by UOML Writer

open a UOML document in OpenOffice, append new contents on existing ones

Step 1: Use MS Office to open its document

Step 2: Generate a UOML document by UOML Writer

Step 2: Generate a UOML document by UOML Writer

Step 3: Append new contents on existing ones in OpenOffice

Step 3: Append new contents on existing ones

in OpenOffice

Benefits and shortcomings Reliable The layout is 100% retained Can't modify the existing contents in the original way Can be accepted by most users

Reliable

The layout is 100% retained

Can't modify the existing contents in the original way

Can be accepted by most users

Value of UOML Solution Government, Enterprise can install one MS Office in entry, convert all input documents to UOML documents The other hundreds of computers are only required to have OpenOffice installed, thus get rid of format compatibility problems It works the same way as the tradition paper work, can be accepted by users OpenOffice can be promoted without format compatible problems

Government, Enterprise can install one MS Office in entry, convert all input documents to UOML documents

The other hundreds of computers are only required to have OpenOffice installed, thus get rid of format compatibility problems

It works the same way as the tradition paper work, can be accepted by users

OpenOffice can be promoted without format compatible problems

Value of UOML Solution MS Office OpenOffice OpenOffice OpenOffice OpenOffice OpenOffice OpenOffice

MS Office

OpenOffice

OpenOffice

OpenOffice

OpenOffice

OpenOffice

OpenOffice

Status of OASIS UOML TC UOML TC was formed in Feb, 2007 Ten TC teleconferences have been held The UOML work draft has been Voted as Committee Draft UOML TC needs your participation! Join UOML TC, enhance UOML for better Open Office support!

UOML TC was formed in Feb, 2007

Ten TC teleconferences have been held

The UOML work draft has been Voted as Committee Draft

UOML TC needs your participation!

Join UOML TC, enhance UOML for better Open Office support!

OASIS UOML TC: http://www.oasis-open.org/committees/tc_home.php?wg_abbrev = uoml UOML Alliance: www.uoml.org Thanks

Thanks