Post #141,861
2/15/04 5:35:25 PM
2/15/04 5:50:00 PM
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In a prior article, I mentioned Excel & Web Svcs
I finally found this link that illustrates how it can be done from
Excel (XL) Spreadsheet.
[link|http://www.mcpressonline.com/mc?13@67.a418bgKBoVv.8@.6ae6b342|http://www.mcpresson...KBoVv.8@.6ae6b342] (This may require registering, if so the next link is similar (but smaller) & doesn't
require rego)
[link|http://www.codeproject.com/vb/net/Webservices.asp|http://www.codeproje...t/Webservices.asp]
Purpose of highlighting this is not to promote the evil empire but to
highlight one of their apparent Web Services strategies. I was present
at a MS demo to HK govt 18 months back where they showed this stuff off
& the worry to me was that they seemed to be hitting the mark.
What it makes clear to me, is why MS are trying to protect their XML
Schemas used in Office. If they can claim that the schema for formatting
XML data in Excel etc: is their intellectual property, then they can
lock others out of trying to interface Web Services to MS Excel
spreadsheets.
It seems that unless there is something like an open source project to
'cleanroom' the MS Schema for Excel, such that it can read an Excel S/S
into a third party S/S, then MS will have a few years to lock anyone else
out of accessing files formatted using their XML Schemas, unless these
people pay the 'Gates toll'.
Anyone else got any thoughts on this ?
Doug Marker
Edited by dmarker
Feb. 15, 2004, 05:50:00 PM EST
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Post #141,867
2/15/04 6:53:03 PM
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Well
Your second link's example has nothing to do with the Excel XML schemas. The Office Web Services Toolkit appears to generate wrappers around a published web service so that it can be used from Excel's VBA. What format, XML or otherwise, Excel can then generate when saving seems to be irrelevant.
Perhaps you can clarify what link you see between the two?
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Chris Altmann
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Post #141,869
2/15/04 7:11:48 PM
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Re: One used to leverage the other
What I see in the link between the schemas & Web Services, is that
MS quietly protect the Excel etc: schemas, then promote ease-of-use in
generating Web Services but it is only available with Excel.
So in order to get the ease-of-use you have to have Microsoft's Excel - I am presuming that the user of any such generated Web Service based on Excel also has to have a licensed copy of MS Excel. The Spreadsheet created usine MS Excel & Web Services would I assume, only be readable by a licensed approval from MS.
MS thus, promote Web Sevices and Excel ease-of-use but to read or write *any* Excel file that uses XML, requires licensed use of MS Excel XML schema.
I don't see criminal intent as much as an MS opportunity for lock-in / licensing.
Doug M
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Post #141,870
2/15/04 7:24:10 PM
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Do you forget that Microsoft is a convicted monopoly?
I don't see criminal intent as much as an MS opportunity for lock-in / licensing.
As such, many actions that would not be illegal for others become illegal for them.
Dunno if that applies here though.
Cheers,
Ben
"good ideas and bad code build communities, the other three combinations do not"
- [link|http://archives.real-time.com/pipermail/cocoon-devel/2000-October/003023.html|Stefano Mazzocchi]
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Post #141,871
2/15/04 7:45:09 PM
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OK, but
Your orginal post seemed to imply that because MS has control over the Excel XML file format, that they can control implementation of XML web services that Excel can interface with. I don't see where this is the case.
The XML schemas in question do not equal "any Excel file that uses XML". There are other ways that Excel uses XML (such as web services) that are not the XML file format that Excel can optionally generate. Now, if MS has patents on using web services from spreadsheet (or other) apps ...
Also, the licensing terms for using the Excel XML schema look quite reasonable (and royalty free) to me:
[link|http://www.microsoft.com/office/xml/faq.mspx|http://www.microsoft...fice/xml/faq.mspx]
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Chris Altmann
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Post #141,872
2/15/04 8:16:34 PM
2/15/04 8:18:46 PM
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Re: But what if you are Sun wanting to ...
Have Star Office read Excel spreadsheets that are saved in XML format (sooner or later, XML will become the preferred (perhaps primary) format for doing so.
The only effective way Star Office can read an XML formatted document created by Excel is by using the Excel XML Schema. That is what Microsoft was trying to get protected in NZ.
The same concept applies to Word.
Also to Ben, I agree that MS are a convicted monopoly, but I thought that was in relation to operating systems - not office software.
Maybe another conviction is due :-)
Cheers Doug
Edited by dmarker
Feb. 15, 2004, 08:18:46 PM EST
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Post #141,874
2/15/04 8:27:16 PM
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From my link to the MS FAQ
Q. If Microsoft obtains a patent for the Office 2003 XML Reference Schemas, does that in any way affect the royalty-free license?
A. No, the license is unaffected. Under the patent license for the Office 2003 XML Reference Schemas, Microsoft offers royalty-free rights both to its issued patents and patents that may be issued in the future.
However, there is also this ...
Q. Is Microsoft committed to making any future updates to the Office 2003 XML Reference Schemas available under the same terms and conditions as the licenses offered on November 17, 2003?
A. Yes. Microsoft is committed to making updates to the Office 2003 XML Reference Schemas available under the same terms and conditions as the licenses offered on November 17, 2003. At the same time, Microsoft reserves the right to change its policy and/or the terms of the licenses with respect to future versions of Office.
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Chris Altmann
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