25th
open document protocol
There is no doubt that the CONSEGI conference held earlier this year was a significant event and the outcomes and resolutions of the discussions held there are starting to have effect in a number of other forums. A modified version of the Brasilia Protocol was circulated and the only issue that countries that were considering signing this document had, is the time-frame that they can commit to. below is the open document protocol.
OPEN DOCUMENT PROTOCOL
PUBLIC PROTOCOL OF INTENTION FOR ADOPTING OPEN DOCUMENT FORMATS
Art. 1 – In accordance with the recommendations proposed by the Asia-Africa coalition through the Jakarta Protocol, and in order to work in a cooperative manner in the application of solutions that generate higher technological and economic independence for the participating countries, the agencies and entities of Direct and Indirect Public Administration, including State-owned Companies and Foundations, Universities, as well as private companies, listed below, propose adopting open file formats for the creation, storage and digital provision of documents of the text, spreadsheet and presentation types.
Art. 2- Open file formats are understood as those that:
I – allow interoperability between the different applications and platforms, internal and external;
II – allow applications without any restrictions or payment of royalties;
III – may be implemented fully and independently by multiple vendors of computer programs, in multiple platforms, without any cost related to intellectual property for the necessary technology;
Art. 3 – Editable office documents are understood as editable electronic documents typically created and handled by computer programs known as office suites. These documents are typically texts, spreadsheets and presentations.
Art. 4 – By voluntarily adopting this protocol, the entity pledges to:
4.1 - Promote the dissemination and use among its employees of the tools required for the adoption of the Open Document Format (ODF) office document format, ISO/IEC 26300 and later Oasis versions, preferably in solutions based on free software.
4.2 - Present to the other entities that are signing this protocol and to society through the Asia-Africa coalition, within XX days, the necessary planning to achieve the following goals:
a) Have its technology environment ready to handle editable office documents in the ODF format.
b) Be ready to receive editable office documents in the ODF format.
c) Use the ODF format, preferably, for editable office documents that will be made available to society.
d) Exchange editable office documents with the other entities signing this protocol through the ODF format.
e) Use the ODF format to create, exchange and store editable office documents generated by the entity.
4.3 - Share with the other entities that sign this protocol solutions that may accelerate the adoption of the ODF format.
Art. 5 – General Considerations:
5.1 - It is up to Africa-Asia Coalition to publish this declaration on it’s website, as well as the publication of any supplements that may be signed.
Jakarta, November 19, 2008.
Signees:
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(Name of signee) (Name of Agency/Company)
*based on the brasilia protocol
