Microsoft to Introduce PDF competitor 'Metro'

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."

Comments

Re:Too late?

[drsmithy]

Netscape had massive market share before IE was bundled with windows. Bundling with windows can do excellent things to your market share.

Netscape completely and utterly ballsing up their browser (4.x and up) while IE continued to get better and better probably helped a teeny bit, as well.

I'd be fascinated to hear what all the "IE only became popular because it was bundled with Windows" crowd has to say about Firefox's burgeoning marketshare...

Re:Royalty free license

[ThePromenader]

"The worst thing would be "It's free" for about two years - and then when the market is almost totally switched to this new format it becomes pay." ...you've just described MS's success in one sentence, my friend.