Microsoft partners cosy up on interoperability
Happy OOXML clappers
Ensure Ease of Recovery with Asigra’s Agentless Software
Microsoft yesterday announced an alliance with vendors as the first step towards its brave, new world of interoperable software.
The company said existing partners, DataViz, Quickoffice, and Novell were all working on the new "Document Interoperability Initiative" to test incompatibilities and to make it easier to shift information between different formats.
The software giant also said it has released a translator between ISO-approved standard ODF (Open Document Format), the file format used by rivals including Sun and IBM, and Office Open XML (OOXML) for Microsoft's Excel and PowerPoint apps.
"Microsoft has committed to support future releases of the translator taking advantage of the improvements in Microsoft Office converter APIs announced as part of the interoperability principles on 21 February to provide a better integrated experience for customers to open and save ODF files," it said.
Microsoft said last month that it was cracking open the vaults by publishing fuller, and freer APIs for a range of its products.
Although the decision was welcomed, many saw it as a reaction to the European Union's record $1.35bn fine against Microsoft as well as the current brouhaha surrounding its second bid to get Office Open XML (OOXML) ISO-approved. Microsoft could also soon be seeking regulator approval for its takeover of Yahoo!
ISO members from 33 countries got together in Geneva last week to debate OOXML during a ballot resolution meeting.
Delegates who disapproved of Microsoft's file format last September have been given until the end of March to adjust their positions on the format if they wish.
Earlier this week, ODF 1.2 editor Patrick Durusau, who opposed the adoption of OOXML as an ISO standard, said he now believes the industry should bring Microsoft's file format in from the cold (pdf).
His argument is that it is now more important that non-Microsoft groups get an input into future Office standards even if they have to compromise over OOXML.
Microsoft needs to bag 66 per cent of votes to see its OOXML format adopted by the ISO. ®
Requirements Checklist for Choosing a Cloud Backup and Recovery Service Provider
COMMENTS
@ AC "No joy"
Erm, so what's ODF?
On my Ubuntu Linux box I appear to be able to open my .odt files as an archive and delve into the XML within... Dunno if you can on the Dark Side as well
Anyway, GO ODF!
No joy
Sorry OOXML is just a ZIP file with a XML page as a database and a tex document. No jumping for joy here. This document is too boring for words. M$ should actualy try and develop something someone has not done already and stop selling stupid ideas like this. It just leaves it open of spyware and what else. Another Failure. How long beofre some virus now infects the xml and every time you open a document you get Malware advertising in your DOC!!!! Stupid.
@RW
I don't think ISO would release a v2 of the MS "standard" without MS defining it. So it doesn't really matter.
Mind you, if ISO allow the current state of MS "OOXML", then they sort of open the way for many more "open" "standards" to be made ISO standards without actually having any details.
And this is an IT site... Your subject line should have been "Unforeseen Consequences"...
IT infrastructure monitoring strategies
Requirements Checklist for Choosing a Cloud Backup and Recovery Service Provider
Data control in the cloud
Cloud based data management
Enabling efficient data center monitoring
