Why are Open Protocols important ?
why is it so important after all ?
Indeed, most of us are using closed protocols and file formats all the time and it doesn't seem to matter. Why do we have to care ?
In fact, closed protocols are like pollution : most of use don't really care now because it has no tangible effects. But if we want to think a bit more in the long run, we have to care about it !
Long term
If you still have documents in the Microsoft Works 1.0 format, I have a bad news for you : unless you still have your 386 computer with Works 1.0, you will not be able to read your files.
Indeed, 10 years after, there are no more software that can read them. Why ? Because Works 1.0 used a closed format. Microsoft changed this format several times and then switched to Word. Which is not the same...
We keep more and more important datas on our computers. We have to be sure we will still be able to open them in 10 years !
When you use a closed format, you are dependant of the company who developped this format. If this company decides to drop support for this particular format or if this company no more exist (what could happen in 10 years ?), you are stuck with a bunch of unreadable files.
What ? Each time you upgrade you check all of your file to be sure (you surely don't have 10.000 files)? You keep an old computer to open those file ? It might be the sole answer to closed format. But it's not error prone. I forgot one .wps file one day on my hard disk. It contains some poems I wrote when I was young. I just didn't thought about that file for 10 years. After all, it's not important.
Now, I still have the file. But I will never be able anymore to read the poems...
With open format, at least, you know you will always be able to open it. In the very worst case, if no software can open your file, you can hire an engineer for a short amount of time and he will easily create a software that can read your files.
Confidentiality
When using closed format and closed protocols, you can never be sure of what exact informations are in your file.
Some infamous examples include people who send a letter in the closed .doc format. But when opening the letter with another version of Microsoft Word, the whole history of the redaction was included, revealing insults and other things.
When you communicate using a closed protocol (such as MSN or Skype), you can never be sure of what informations are sent. Worst of all : those informations are sent to a server owned by a big company. They could, if they want, send all your personnal datas ! You cannot be sure.
With an open protocol, such as Jabber, you can be sure of what informations are sent. You are also able to use the service provider of your choice, thus you are not dependant of anyone.
Interoperability
When using a closed protocol, you force your correspondant to use a compatible software. If you want to use MSN, you force your friend to use a MSN client. Officialy and legaly, the only clients available are for Windows. Thus, you force your friend to use a full Windows system with windows ! You also force your friend to have an accound on a MSN server !
When using a open protocol, you can use a wide variety of software. For example, if you use Google Talk (a Jabber client), your friend will be able to use any jabber client (there are plenty of them). He can even write his own client if he want. If he don't like @gmail.com, he can use another Jabber server (such as @jabber.org) and still be able to talk with you.