Microsoft and OpenDocument Format

[KingBahamut]

"Microsoft has joined a committee that has a key role in the ratification of OpenDocument as an international standard, leading to accusations that it intends to sabotage the process. Microsoft has denied this accusation, claiming that the only reason why Microsoft employee Jim Thatcher has joined the group was to get involved in the ISO standardisation of its own file format." From the article: "'There sits Microsoft, waiting, like a spider,' wrote Jones, in a posting on her site. 'I am imagining ODF plodding along, with Microsoft asking questions, fine-combing through the comments, did you mean this or that?, getting bogged down in minutia until, lo and behold, either Microsoft's XML makes it as an ISO standard first, or they arrive neck and neck.'"

External Link
http://www.zdnetasia.com/news/software/0,39044164,39346318,00.htm

Sabotage the ODF Adoption? I feel that MSFT's attempts at providing an open standard cant possibly be done without a hitch somewhere, and to show face in the ODF consortium is only a sign that they are either trying to grasp why ODF is desireable or to cause more FUD in its implementation. MSFT shouldnt have to be involved in ODF to get its own standardization needs met.

It is very possible they are trying to sabotage ODF.

[Brunellus]

embrace and extend. we'll always have TeX

[Zodiac]

God forbid Microsoft competes on the basis of their products worth alone rather than simply leveraging their monopoly...

[ice60]

i thought the ODF was very nearly accepted as the international standard, but MS already sabotaged it a few months ago when they didn't agree to the format. is that incorrect :confused:

[prizrak]

God forbid Microsoft competes on the basis of their products worth alone rather than simply leveraging their monopoly...
Funnily enough MS Office could very easily compete on the basis of it's quality, it's still the best PROFESSIONAL (it's too pricey for a home user given how little features they need) office suit.

[BWF89]

I don't think OASIS would let MS sabatoge ODF format. If that didn't they would probably get kicked out or not allowed to change anything.

[WildTangent]

I think you all just see plots in everything Microsoft does ;)

-Wild

[NeghVar]

I think you all just see plots in everything Microsoft does

Just because you call me paranoid doesn't mean the world isn't out to get me.

Look at the way they dealt with apple, oh we are your friend... ya thats right turn yr back, hey balmer the knife sharp yet? yep its good and ready...

[htinn]

Microsoft is a FUD machine.

http://www.catb.org/~esr/halloween/

[Jucato]

1. MS says it will not support ODF in MS Office, and puts up OpenXML as their "open" alternative.
2. It submits OpenXML to ECMA, to pave the way to be stamped as the THE open document standard (yes, they also plan to apply to ISO)
3. MS, while still waiting for ECMA approval, simultaneously joins the organization that will decide whether or not ODF is ready to apply to ISO. In short, whether ODF can/will apply to ISO will be determined by this organization.

Given these precedents, I wouldn't really call it simply paranoia to see MS trying to do some dirty work. They might be getting desperate, especially since both Vista and Office has been pushed back. And since FUD has failed, their next resort would be EEE (embrace, extend, extinguish). It has been done before, it can be done again (okay, now I think that's a bit paranoid. :D)

[Arktis]

Microsoft is a FUD machine.

http://www.catb.org/~esr/halloween/
Neat.

[KingBahamut]

Everybody Loves Raymond.
=)

[earobinson]

cant wait till this comes out!

[BoyOfDestiny]

The New Office 2007 File Formats

http://www.aviransplace.com/index.php/archives/2006/04/05/the-new-office-2007-file-formats/

Sigh. please please let ODF take off.

From 2002.
http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/no-word-attachments.html

"There are also reports that Microsoft is planning to use patented extensions to XML as the basis for a future Word format; anyone who implements free software to read those files could be sued for patent infringement by Microsoft."
Seems spot on to me. Not bad for something written over 4 years ago.