Microsoft intends to submit file formats for its new Office 12 applications to the European standards body ECMA International. The company hopes this will allay concern about its level of control over document formats. Update by AS: For the curious, here's a sample Office 12 file and a sample XPS file. (Note: Right click > Save As..., we're not configured to serve these files just yet.)
To read all comments associated with this story, please click here.
Member since:2005-06-30
It won't bring anything to the end user other than the warm, cosy feeling that if MS goes out of business, all of your documents saved in the Office 12 format (OpenXML) will have documented specifications and someone would be able to create a document reader that will run on your computer. Someone could create a reader before then as well, but it wouldn't really be worth it since MS will supply one for the time being.
One of the biggest criticisms people have about MS file formats right now is that for the most part they haven't been documented by anyone outside of MS. What happens if you want to open a document ten, twenty, or thirty years from now? It is very unlikely that you'll have the same software installed, and if MS isn't around to sell you a document reader/writer, that could be quite difficult. It's already hard enough to open a document created five years ago with current software.
Edited 2005-11-22 00:26
Member since:2005-10-02
Reading isn't enough 
Besides that, the licensing issues are very problematic, at least in USA.
To me this is nothing but a PR-stunt.
Main critisisms of Microsoft is: Closed formats, or only open under closed licenses. You cannot legally create a GPL'ed reader for MS Office XML files. At least not in USA.
Member since:2005-06-29
More likely I think MS is going for the least possible openness they need to get customers like Massachusetts back, then they will most likely go back to closed formats after they believe their vendor lock-in position is strong again.
Not so much PR as an attempt to keep the OASIS format from getting a foothold somewhere.
Member since:2005-06-29
Member since:2005-08-26
Member since:2005-06-29
Member since:
2005-10-02
what this really brings to the end user.
IMO this is mostly a PR-trick...