Open Standards Websites

A not-for-profit organization connecting people to open standards and the bodies that build and foster their growth.

An association of CAD customers and vendors committed to promoting open, industry-standard formats for the exchange of CAD data. History, members, FAQs, and published papers.

Advocates against the use of image formats that are protected by patents. Presents a brief history of the GIF format as well as its open alternatives.

Explains the appropriate use of document formats and argues against the use of Word attachments.

Why not use proprietary formats and what are the main open alternatives.

Short document with instructions to MS-Word users on alternatives they can use for document exchange.

Paper investigating economical issues related to the diffusion of public standards.

Investigates the effects of patent proliferation and criticizes reasonable and non-discriminatory license terms (RAND) for patented technologies.

Governs the handling of patents in the process of producing Web standards. The goal of this policy is to assure that Recommendations produced under this policy can be implemented on a Royalty-Free (RF) basis.

Explains the risks of exchanging data in non-public format and suggests the main alternatives.

Why not using Word, Excel or any other proprietary format to communicate.

What is a standard, what is an open standard, and why use open standards on the Internet.

Ken Krechmer analyzes the distinct issues behind advocacy for non-proprietary formats.

Initiative aiming to convince software companies to release data format documentation and to pass laws that governments can only store user data in open format. Presents its manifesto, forum, news, links to institutional resolutions.

Campaign for replacing the (formerly) patent-encumbered GIF format by open standard graphics. Since the GIF formats has become patent-free, the site advocates against software patents.

Article on formats interoperability in audio and video content.

Essay by Erik Fair explaining how open standards may help mitigate or prevent "customer lock-in" strategies.

Aims to educate the public about the importance of Free Document Formats and Open Standards in general. Coordinates activities that happen on last Wednesday of March, celebrated as the Document Freedom Day.

Seeks to promote the free flow of information between government agencies and citizens by establishing a common set of technical standards for organizing and sharing public data.