From Newshounds, by Thomas K. Dye.
One of the instrumental figures behind the Commonwealth of Massachusetts’ decision to use the OASIS OpenDocument standard as its official format for computer documentation was Peter Quinn, the Commonwealth’s Chief Information Officer.
According to Infoworld, Peter Quinn has resigned.
This is hardly surprising. Microsoft has been pitching a fit ever since they learned that their closed, proprietary file format was passed over in favor of a format that any company selling a word processor could adopt without paying a damn thing to anyone, and shortly after the announcement was made Quinn was suddenly and mysteriously investigated for supposed improprieties concerning several out-of-state trips he made. The investigation ultimately found that he’d done nothing improper, but the damage, apparently, was done. Quinn has resigned, and it remains to be seen whether or not the Open Standards he trumpeted will remain in place in Massachusetts.
Alas, this turn of events is not particularly new when it comes to defying Microsoft. Remember Ed Curry.
