Becta recommends open document formats

BECTA recommends that schools save documents using Open Formats

Just noticed that BECTA has included an interesting policy in its published technical specification for schools. According to the document, the agency mandates schools to use software that allows saving files in open formats. The agency recommends the following formats:

OpenDocument (.odt), plain text, RTF for text documents
OpenDocument (.ods), CSV for spreadsheets
OpenDocument (.odb), CSV for databases
OpenDocument (.odp), HTML, SMIL for presentations

Microsoft XML or .doc formats are not listed.

Perhaps I now need to take a closer look at Open Office, the free office software. Recently in france I notice that it is given FREE on a CD to all educators and learners.

Published Saturday, May 27, 2006 9:21 PM by AlanDay

Comments

# re: Becta recommends open document formats

This came as quite a shock. We thought Kent was a Microsoft subsidiary!! I looked up the document in the link and you're right, even though its buried! This throws some interesting things up in the air, I am going to download and try a couple of copies and see if it is as good, cause I've heard it aint!

Saturday, June 03, 2006 11:52 AM by Mandy Cromer

# re: Becta recommends open document formats

Open office is a really interesting solution that several Kent schools have already moved to. We have it as an option here at CCCU as it has the capability to save in Open Doc formats but also can be set up to natively open/save M$ formats giving pretty seemless integration.

The database always used to be the big failing with Open/Star Office but the new version seems to have smartened up here in a big way!

Monday, June 05, 2006 8:14 AM by Ken Powell

Leave a Comment

(required) 
(required) 
(optional)
(required)