Dear Office Suite Users,
In a time where digital sovereignty is a major concern for European businesses and governments, the upcoming announcement of Euro-Office has caught attention. Marketed as the first open-source office suite developed in Europe, this claim needs correction.
The True Pioneers: OpenOffice.org and LibreOffice
Let's go back to 2001 when OpenOffice.org, based on StarOffice's source code, debuted as the first open-source office suite developed in Europe. In 2010, LibreOffice took over, establishing itself as the go-to open-source office suite. These projects were built on European source code, standing in contrast to proprietary solutions like Microsoft Office.
The Importance of Digital Sovereignty
Digital sovereignty is not just a buzzword. It's a reality for companies looking to maintain control over their data and avoid proprietary lock-in. The ODF (Open Document Format) is the cornerstone of this sovereignty, offering full control to European users. Conversely, Euro-Office, by defaulting to Microsoft's OOXML format, reinforces Microsoft's content lock-in strategy.
The Role of European Players
The Document Foundation and the LibreOffice community have been crucial in advocating for open formats. Thanks to their efforts, Europe has credible alternatives to proprietary solutions. Yet, some economic and political actors advocating for digital sovereignty today haven't always supported these initiatives.
Euro-Office: A Missed Opportunity?
The announcement of Euro-Office could have been a victory for European open source. Instead, it appears to reinforce the proprietary model, contradicting the principles of digital sovereignty. The choice of default proprietary formats raises questions about the real motivations behind this project.
In conclusion, it's crucial for decision-makers and developers to understand the implications of their technological choices. The future of digital sovereignty in Europe depends on it.
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