Why I don't use Certain File Formats

Why I Changed My Mind About Microsoft Office Formats

Microsoft used to be the poster child of competing illegally and immorally and producing products that didn't work properly and had poor security, but some major things have changed over the last 5-10 years. Microsoft has (1) lowered the cost of Microsoft Office for home users to a reasonable price, (2) they have removed VBA in their default configuration and don't allow it in their new default file format (which effectively eliminates their MS Office virus problems), (3) they have issued a new documented and standardized file format, and are giving away their related patents royalty free, (4) Apple's iWork suite has become more important (largely due to the iPad and iPhone versions of the office suite, reduction in the price, now selling each one of the apps individually, and making them available on the Mac App Store) and iWork now supports the new Microsoft standard office format, instead of the OpenOffice.org standard. Now, it appears, that the main enemy of the consumer is no longer Microsoft, but Google.

Find more information on Microsoft's Open Specifications Promise.

Why I don't use MP4 Video (also known as H.264)

It is still unclear, if website owners, like me will have, to pay, to use the MP4 video format, some time in the future. But the issue is irrelevant, because Comcast slows down my cable Internet speed, in order to make sure one user doesn't use up so much bandwidth, that other customers don't get their service slowed down. As an unintended result, my upload speed (the speed at which i can put files onto the Internet - the opposite of downloading) (which is typically much slower than the download speed) is slowed down and even cut off, if I upload approximately more than 1 file of 30 MB size (although I can download a 2-4 GB file easily). This 30 MB size is the smallest size, that I have been able, to create videos, of reasonable length and quality, according to my standards. Therefore, you won't see video, on my website, anytime soon.

Why I don't use Google Specific Formats

I won't use Google specific formats like WebP image format WebM video format, because I don't trust that Google isn't using other people's intellectual property, without paying for it, like they did with Java, in their Android operating system. It also is becoming more and more apparent, that Google is using the same proprietary model, that Microsoft has used in the past, to add non-standard features, to its products, in order to make web technologies incompatible, and to lock people into their products.

Some examples include (from their web browser decisions): (1) being the only major company to drop support for MP4 video and audio support in their web browser (to keep the need for Flash Player), (2) the addition of the Native Client to Google's Chrome web browser (which no other browser maker will support like Microsoft's Active X), and (3) the disabling of the SVG support in their Android webkit-based web browser, until version 3 (because SVG gives key support for web technologies to replace Flash).

Some examples include (from their Android software decisions): (1) basing the entire technology on violation of Oracle and Apple intellectual property both in spirit and in practice, (2) duplicity about the open source nature of Android (by not releasing Android 3 source code in a timely manner and not accepting any outside contributions to Android, not releasing code until the fully tested version was finished, and their support for the very non-standardized and non-open source Flash Player), (3) the poor security record of Android and the poor quality of the Android software, especially the included web browser, (4) the inaccurate comparisons of Android to Apple devices (falsely insinuating that they are functionally comparable to iOS), (5) marketing of Android and general attitude of fans based on macho attitude and overhyping and misleading customers about Android phones regarding consistency of platform, Flash, price, and Google's helping lock down phones for carriers, and the (6) bundling of Flash Player with Chrome and Android phones. And I am unwilling to accept the poor security, that this continued push, for the use of Flash, and the level of control, that Google gives away, in its Android store, brings.

I am also concerned about Google's lack of respect, for copyright, in their posting of electronic versions, of print books, to the web, without first contacting the copyright holders. I also don't trust, that Google won't sell personal information, of my website users, or of myself, due to their business model being based, on selling personal information, to ad companies, the US Department of Defense, and anyone else, who wants this same information. Google also continues to release misleading information or outright lies about its market share and the horrific and untrue things that were said about Apple, like comparing it Steve Jobs the dictator of North Korea.