文件自由日 Document Freedom Day：2014/03/26
*What is Document Freedom Day?
It is a day for celebrating and raising awareness of Open Standards and formats which takes place on the last Wednesday in March each year. On this day people who believe in fair access to communications technology teach, perform, and demonstrate.
What is 'Document Freedom'?
Documents that are free can be used in any way that the author intends. They can be read, transmitted, edited, and transformed using a variety of tools. Documents that aren't free are locked to some particular software or company. The author cannot choose how to use them because they are controlled by technical restrictions, like a powerful car that is artificially restricted to 30 km/ph.
What about protocols?
Standards should be Open during transmission as well as storage, and interfaces and protocols are just as important as data storage formats. Think of a letter - it cannot fulfil its purpose unless its address can be read, and its envelope can be opened. Similarly a message sent online can be read only if it uses a recognised protocol (address) and contains data that can be read (envelope). Often companies use an Open Standard protocol for sending data in a closed format, like Adobe Flash streaming videos in proprietary Flash Video format over the Open HTTP web protocol. Freedom requires both aspects to be Open, however.
What are Open Standards?
They are formats and protocols which everybody can use free of charge and restriction. They come with compatibility "built-in" - the way they work is shared publicly and any organisation can use them in their products and services without asking for permission. Open Standards are the foundation of cooperation and modern society: train tracks, power sockets, and natural language are all examples of specifications that we all rely on and take for granted. Imagine if speaking English required permission and a license fee - society would be backward and chaotic. Read more about Open Standards and what defines them.
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