Government IT Officials from 14 Countries Around the World Discuss ODF
Implementation
PRETORIA, South Africa, Oct. 8 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The South
African government, in collaboration with the OpenDocument Format Alliance
(ODF Alliance), will host the 2nd International OpenDocument Format (ODF)
User Workshop, 9-10 October 2008 in Pretoria, South Africa.
The workshop will bring together more than 60 government IT officials
from 14 countries around the world that have already made the move to ODF,
or are actively considering how best to utilize an open format solution to
preserve access to documents and increase choice of software for
governments and citizens alike.
"ODF has come of age in 2008," said ODF Alliance managing director
Marino Marcich. "Since the first Global ODF Workshop in Berlin in October
2007, many governments have moved from policy adoption to implementation.
This workshop will take the next step, focusing on what these
ODF-supporting governments are doing, how they did it, and where they
mobilized the necessary support."
The theme for the 2008 workshop is "The Promise of ODF to the Practical
Realities of Implementation." Workshop tracks this year include:
Implementation and Migration - Lessons Learned & Best Practices;
Interoperability; and ODF 1.2 - Metadata, Spreadsheet Formula, Digital
Signatures and More: What's New with ODF?
"That so many government officials from around the world have gathered
in Pretoria to discuss ODF is an indication of the continued momentum and
growing interest in ODF in the public sector," continued Marcich. "Workshop
participants are here to benefit from the real-life ODF implementation
experiences of governments, or, if they are only beginning to consider the
issue, to 'listen and learn' from their peers in government."
To date, 14 national and 8 provincial governments have adopted policies
requiring ODF's use:
http://www.odfalliance.org/resources/Adoptions-ODF-Aug2008.pdf
If you would like to discuss the workshop proceedings in greater detail
with some of the government participants, please contact Marino Marcich
[mmarcich@odfalliance.org; +1.202.251.2901].
For the latest information concerning the workshop, including the
agenda, speakers, and presentations, please visit the workshop web site at:
http://www.odfworkshop.org.
About the ODF Alliance:
The OpenDocument Format Alliance is an organization of governments,
academic institutions, non-government organizations and industry dedicated
to educating policy makers, IT administrators and the public on the
benefits and opportunities of ODF.
SOURCE OpenDocument Format Alliance
 back to top
Related links:
http://www.odfalliance.org
http://www.odfworkshop.org
CONTACT:
Marino Marcich, ODF Alliance,
+1-202-251-2901, mmarcich@odfalliance.org; or Beth Dozier,
Rational PR, +1-202-429-1833, bethdozier@rationalpr.com, for ODF
Alliance
|
