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Two Open Document Standards Better Than One?

Posted by Zonk on from the snarky-lil-megacorp-aren't-they? dept.

tsa writes "Microsoft says that the consumers should have the choice between multiple open standards for documents." From the article: "Microsoft's Yates said that OpenDocument and Open XML come from very different design points. 'In the future at some point there will be convergence,' he said. In the near term, the transition period from proprietary document formats to Open XML-based ones will be 'messy and complex,' he added. 'Competition between standards we believe is a very good thing.'"

11 of 308 comments (clear)

  1. the old saying goes.. by jspectre · · Score: 4, Funny

    "standards are great, everyone should have one."

    --

    abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz

    1. Re:the old saying goes.. by mysqlrocks · · Score: 4, Funny

      "standards are great, everyone should have one."

      Or the other variation of that, "standards are great, there are so many to choose from."

      --
      Bradley Holt
    2. Re:the old saying goes.. by almercobb · · Score: 2, Funny
      "standards are great, everyone should have one."
      Or the other variation of that, "standards are great, there are so many to choose from."
      So, wait ... are you saying there are competing standards for that old saying?
  2. I've upped my standards... by SunPin · · Score: 5, Funny

    so up yours.

    --
    Laws are for people with no friends.
  3. Good idea? by ceeam · · Score: 5, Funny

    <html>

    <head>
    <meta http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=windows-1252">
    <meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 11 (filtered)">
    <style>
    <!--
    /* Style Definitions */
    p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
        {margin:0cm;
        margin-bottom:.0001pt;
        font-size:12.0pt;
        font-family:"Times New Roman";}
    @page Section1
        {size:595.3pt 841.9pt;
        margin:2.0cm 42.5pt 2.0cm 3.0cm;}
    div.Section1
        {page:Section1;}
    -->
    </style>

    </head>

    <bod y lang=EN>

    <div class=Section1>

    <p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US>Idiot</span></p>

    </div>

    </body>

    </html>

    1. Re:Good idea? by BushCheney08 · · Score: 5, Funny

      xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word"
      xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40">

      <head>
      <meta http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=windows-1252">
      <meta name=ProgId content=Word.Document>
      <meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 9">
      <meta name=Originator content="Microsoft Word 9">
      <link rel=File-List href="./Hehehe_files/filelist.xml">
      <title>Hehehe</title>
      <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
        <o:DocumentProperties>
          <o:Author>Goatse</o:Author>
          <o:LastAuthor>Goatse</o:LastAuthor>
          <o:Revision>1</o:Revision>
          <o:TotalTime>0</o:TotalTime>
          <o:Created>2005-12-15T15:59:00Z</o:Created>
          <o:LastSaved>2005-12-15T15:59:00Z</o:LastSaved>
          <o:Pages>1</o:Pages>
          <o:Company>ProbeCo</o:Company>
          <o:Lines>1</o:Lines>
          <o:Paragraphs>1</o:Paragraphs>
          <o:Version>9.6926</o:Version>
        </o:DocumentProperties>
      </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
        <w:WordDocument>
          <w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>6 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>
          <w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>2</w:DisplayH orizontalDrawingGridEvery>
          <w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>2</w:DisplayVer ticalDrawingGridEvery>
        </w:WordDocument>
      </xml><![endif]-->
      <style>
      <!-- /* Style Definitions */
      p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
              {mso-style-parent:"";
              margin:0in;
              margin-bottom:.0001pt;
              mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
              font-size:12.0pt;
              font-family:"Times New Roman";
              mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";}
      @page Section1
              {size:8.5in 11.0in;
              margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;
              mso-header-margin:.5in;
              mso-footer-margin:.5in;
              mso-paper-source:259;}
      div.Section1
              {page:Section1;}
      -->
      </style>
      </head>

      <body lang=EN-US style='tab-interval:.5in'>

      <div class=Section1>

      <p class=MsoNormal>Hehehe. Good One.</p>

      </div>

      </body>

      </html>

      --
      Be a real patriot: Question authority. Think for yourself. Formulate your own conclusions.
  4. Just excellent by KlomDark · · Score: 1, Funny

    Ah yes, the 'Tower of Babel' defense - Completely screw up the ability to communicate clearly by introducing another competing way.

    Also known as "StirStick of Muddy Water +5"

    So much for historians trying to figure out the years 2006 to 2012... How very non-altruistic of Microsoft. How very against the basic tenets of Information Systems.

  5. Open XML? by john82 · · Score: 4, Funny
    Seriously, is that what Microsoft calls their format now? I can hear the PR guys.

    "We've got to come up with a name that at least sounds like we're the good guys. You know, open to new ideas. I've got it! We'll use Open XML!"


    It's just marketing BS. Bleh!
  6. Re:Read Groklaw's example of "recipe with marzipan by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    For any flavor of Marzipan, just use a comparable amount of sand. Should taste about the same.

  7. Re:Divide and conquer by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Get it yourself.

    -Jesus

  8. Re:Divide and conquer by capnchicken · · Score: 2, Funny

    Had to be done

    --
    A libertarian shat on my carpet once. Claimed the free market would sort it out. -Ford Prefect(8777)