LIFE Open Content - Content formats

Content formats

For allowing freedom of access and modification, the format in which content is available is an important aspect of open content.

There are two kinds of requirements on formats of open content:

Create / Edit Format

A creation, editing and storage format should be both open (to allow working with the content without proprietary software) and easily edited with tools that are available to prospective authors on a large number of platforms. Ideally, this editing software should either be easy to obtain and intuitive to use by authors, or already be present on most computers. The focus here is on openness of the format over ubiquity of the editing software.

Consume Format

A display, playback or printing format for consuming the content should allow for extremely convenient means of access, copying and - in the case of textual information - creating hardcopies. The focus here is on the ubiquity of the format. For whereas authors can be asked to go an extra step to create or change information, the consumer of the information should not have to go that extra step, but be able to consume the content using familiar tools.

Further information on the issue of content formats

Open Source alternative to .doc and .pdf at the idea site Shouldexist.org .

Some Free Software for creating, editing and viewing open content:

Content	Format name	Remarks	Create / Edit	Consume	Projects
Text	Plain ASCII		ASCII Editor	Editor / Office Program	Project Gutenberg
Formatted Text	TeX, LaTeX		Editor / MikTex	dviview / PDF
Spreadsheet			OpenOffice.o rg
Graphics			The GIMP
Audio	Ogg Vorbis, .ogg
Video