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

Reliable Interoperation between

Open Office & MS office by

UOMLAlex Wang

Chair/OASIS UOML TCChairman / Sursen Co.

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Reliable Interoperation between OpenOffice & MS office by UOML

Compatibility issues block Open Office• 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 Open Office, 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

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

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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 paperA paper can be written by any pen

Challenges on Document Interoperability

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Current solutions for interoperation

MS Office

The same

format

Open Office

Web page

AutoCAD

Application Co. AMS Office

Open Office

Web page

AutoCAD

Application Co. B

Application Co. C

Application Co. D

Solution 1

Solution 2

Application Co. A

Application Co. B

Application Co. C

Application Co. D

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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

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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

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SQL

Structured DataStructured Data

DB2 Oracle SQLServer

Fin

ance system

ER

P

Accoun

ting

………

…

Unstructured DocumentUnstructured Document

MS Office

Open

Office

UOMLWriter

SEP Docbase ……

………

SQL vs. UOML

UOMLUOML

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

Define general document operating functions

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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 Office opens a UOML document, appends new content

on the previous one

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Step 1: Use MS Office to open its document

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Step 2: Generate a UOML document by UOML Writer

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Step 3: Appends new contents on the previous onesin Open Office

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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

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Value of UOML SolutionGovernment, 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 Open Office installed, thus get rid of format compatibility problems

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

Open Office can be promoted without format compatible problems

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Value of UOML Solution

MS Office

OpenOffice

OpenOffice OpenOffice

OpenOffice

OpenOffice

OpenOffice

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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!

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

UOML Alliance: www.uoml.org

Thanks

Documents

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