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Microsoft to Introduce PDF competitor 'Metro'

Posted by timothy on from the that-portable-thing-sounds-dangerous dept.

RustNeverSleeps writes "Computerworld reports that Microsoft will be including a new document format called 'Metro' with Longhorn. Apparently, Metro is intended to be a competitor to Adobe's PDF and Postscript formats. The format will be open and available for royalty-free licensing, and will be based on XML. Can we expect Microsoft to do this right? If they do, I think it could be a good thing." Reader gsfprez is less optimistic: "... I noticed the main, and probably most important difference between old and busted PDF and new-hotness Metro (besides the Queer Eye styled name)... 'We will offer products based on this next generation RIP technology and make them available under license to printer manufacturers and software integrators worldwide.' Yes, I can see it now - entire industries undoing their time-tested, battle hardend PDF-based workflows with free and open files all for the chance to use patented, pay-for-use Microsoft proprietary workflows, software, and files. Good luck with that, guys."

2 of 798 comments (clear)

  1. Re:they haven't done anything else right by masklinn · · Score: 0, Redundant

    It's not, which is why you get the UglyGreen background when you've just installed your computer and the UglyBlue version when you've installed the drivers. It's just low resolution (which is why it lacks... well... resolution)

    --
    "The way we can tell it's C# instead of Haskell is because it's nine lines instead of two." -- wadler
  2. Another innovation from Microsoft by gilesjuk · · Score: 0, Redundant

    Do they know the meaning of the word innovation?

    One again Microsoft's strategy is:

    1. Let someone else come up with a new product
    2. Let it mature
    3. Copy all the good ideas from it
    4. Improve it and releasse it
    5. Profit?!