Office To Support Open XML Format

Don't know about that, but I do know the European Union has said that suppliers of Office software must provide open standards-based file formats to prevent the data being lost in the future because software is no longer compatible. I would think this is Mocrosoft's response, to create their own proprietary 'open' standard so that they can muscle their way in. I doubt there's any difference in strategy from that they have already demonstrating when claiming that the Windows Media format is an open standard whilst trying to own the digital music download market

Is this the same format that was proposed a while back when someone (I can't remember who it was) declared that MS's proposed XML format was merely a text wrapper for the same ol' MS binary format, but wrapped in XML so that it can say it's XML?

So they're opening up their file format - whoopedoo - that's only because OASIS have ratified the open ducument file format which is a truly open source open standard while Microsoft do what they always do - foist their proprietary, badly-implemented nonsense onto the world so tht we continued to be stuck with them and their bug-ridden software.

It's the best of a bad situation for MS. This is their way of trying to stay in control. OASIS recently ratified OpenDocument, a standards-based royalty-free document format (currently used by OpenOffice). With their own "open" format they're hoping to hold onto as much control as they can (I'll be interested to see the actual licence).

Aye, this has long been a strong motivator to use products like NeoOffice (Carbonized/Java version of OpenOffice) http://www.neooffice.org/ It can't be for the Good Of Mankind, though, heh. They have to have something up their sleeve, or some intention of use of the open XML formats.

It does, doesn't it? But hey, the very fact that Microsoft is saying Office (which, surely, is the most ubiquitous MS product that produces files) is going to save documents in an open, royalty-free format is utterly, utterly fantastic. It really does open it all up for anyone to take the XML, and do stuff with it. If this turns out like it sounds, kudos to Microsoft.

A MicroSoft product promising perfect cross-platform, cross-application data integration? Sounds too good to be true...