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Update notice for latest guidance on ooxml xsd licence, and update getting involved to link to the newly released binary file format docs

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git-svn-id: https://svn.apache.org/repos/asf/poi/trunk@628714 13f79535-47bb-0310-9956-ffa450edef68
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Nick Burch 2008-02-18 13:08:16 +00:00
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legal/NOTICE
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@ -31,5 +31,7 @@ Office Open XML experimental support:
http://www.openxml4j.org/Licensing/Default.html
Office Open XML ECMA Specification -
http://www.ecma-international.org/publications/standards/Ecma-376.htm
Microsoft Open Specification Promise (OSP) -
Copyright - ECMA International, made available without restriction
http://www.ecma-international.org/memento/Ecmabylaws.htm - section 9.4
Patent - Microsoft Open Specification Promise (OSP)
http://www.microsoft.com/interop/osp/

48
src/documentation/content/xdocs/getinvolved/index.xml
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@ -53,6 +53,43 @@
license.
</p>
</section>
<section><title>Publicly Available Information on the file formats</title>
<p>
In early 2008, Microsoft made a fairly complete set of documentation
on the binary file formats freely and publicly available. These were
released under the <link href="http://www.microsoft.com/interop/osp">Open
Specification Promise</link>, which does allow us to use them for
building open source software under the <link
href="http://www.apache.org/foundation/licence-FAQ.html">
Apache Software License</link>.
</p>
<p>
You can download the documentation on Excel, Word, PowerPoint and
Escher (drawing) from
<link href="http://www.microsoft.com/interop/docs/OfficeBinaryFormats.mspx">http://www.microsoft.com/interop/docs/OfficeBinaryFormats.mspx</link>.
Documentation on a few of the supporting technologies used in these
file formats can be downloaded from
<link href="http://www.microsoft.com/interop/docs/supportingtechnologies.mspx">http://www.microsoft.com/interop/docs/supportingtechnologies.mspx</link>.
</p>
<p>
Previously, Microsoft published a book on the Excel 97 file format.
It can still be of plenty of use, and is handy dead tree form. Pick up
a copy of "Excel 97 Developer's Kit" from your favourite second hand
book store.
</p>
<p>
The newer Office Open XML (ooxml) file formats are documented as part
of the ECMA / ISO standardisation effort for the formats. This
documentation is quite large, but you can normally find the bit you
need without too much effort! This can be downloaded from
<link href="http://www.ecma-international.org/publications/standards/Ecma-376.htm">http://www.ecma-international.org/publications/standards/Ecma-376.htm</link>,
and is also under the <link href="http://www.microsoft.com/interop/osp">OSP</link>.
</p>
<p>
It is also worth checking the documentation and code of the other
open source implementations of the file formats.
</p>
</section>
<section><title>I just signed an NDA to get a spec from Microsoft and I'd like to contribute</title>
<p>
In short, stay away, stay far far away. Implementing these file formats
@ -66,13 +103,14 @@
<p>
If you've ever received information regarding the OLE 2 Compound Document
Format under any type of exclusionary agreement from Microsoft, or
(probably illegally) received such information from a person bound by
(possibly illegally) received such information from a person bound by
such an agreement, you cannot participate in this project. (Sorry)
</p>
<p>
Those submitting patches that show insight into the file format may be
asked to state explicitly that they are eligible or possibly sign an
agreement.
asked to state explicitly that they have only ever read the publicly
available file format information, and not any received under an NDA
or similar.
</p>
</section>
</section>
@ -86,7 +124,9 @@
<li>Documentation is always the best place to start contributing, maybe you found that if the documentation just told you how to do X then it would make more sense, modify the documentation.</li>
<li>Get used to building POI, you'll be doing it a lot, be one with the build, know its targets, etc.</li>
<li>Write Unit Tests. Great way to understand POI. Look for classes that aren't tested, or aren't tested on a public/protected method level, start there.</li>
<li>(HSSF)Get the Excel 97 Developer's Kit - its out of print but its dirt cheap (seen copies for under $15 (US)) used on <link href="http://www.amazon.com">amazon</link>. It explains the Excel file format.</li>
<li>Download the file format documentation from Microsoft -
<link href="http://www.microsoft.com/interop/docs/OfficeBinaryFormats.mspx">OLE2 Binary File Formats</link> or
<link href="http://www.ecma-international.org/publications/standards/Ecma-376.htm">OOXML XML File Formats</link></li>
<li>Submit patches (see below) of your contributions, modifications.</li>
<li>Fill out new features, see <link href="http://issues.apache.org/bugzilla/buglist.cgi?product=POI">Bug database</link> for suggestions.</li>
</ul>