MS Announces Open XML Formats Developer Group

Andy Updegrove writes to tell us that Microsoft has responded to the recently formed ODF Alliance with a group of their own, the Open XML Formats Developer Group. From the article: "At launch, the new forum has either 39 or 40 members (the site is internally inconsistent on this point), the most prominent of which are Apple, Intel and Toshiba. [...] Despite the long list of founding members, it appears that the forum is purely informational in nature. A review of the site indicates that no specific initiatives are planned to be undertaken by the forum. Instead, it will provide information and provide a place for developers to pose questions, post content, and engage in discussion."

Comments

fence-straddlers?

[rkhalloran]

How many of these 'founding members' are just hedging their bets by being in both this and the ODF Alliance group? And how do file formats matter to a company like Intel; they shouldn't care what office suite someone's using, as long as it running on their CPUs, yes?

Re:fence-straddlers?

[Fanboy Troy]

Most importantly, will I be able to open 10 Open XML documents at the same time if I have an AMD CPU?

Re:fence-straddlers?

[stoolpigeon]

And how do file formats matter to a company like Intel; they shouldn't care what office suite someone's using, as long as it running on their CPUs, yes?
 
what they care more about - than someone running on their chips, is making money. and if there is a financial incentive for them to care about software, they will be involved.

Re:fence-straddlers?

[hackus]

Err, No.

Intel has a lot to gain by a particular file format.

Any company with plans to enforce "trusted computing" hardware has a great deal of interest in file formats, and how to keep them as closed as possible.

XML documents can be parsed using a so called "open" (i.e. Open to Trusted Computing Members if you pay a HUGE fee.) so that documents can become encrypted XML objects that can only run on a particular machine.

If a file format is known, a BIOS modification can be made to intercept calls that the OS on the machine will not know about.

That way, you can't get around the hardware, its burned into silicone.

What is better, if you attempt to break the keys, ala HDCP and they find out, the next time you attempt to update your BIOS they can black list your motherboard. Just like they plan on doing to consumers if they find out a product (TV, DVD player, PVR etc) can be cracked for the encryption keys.

That way, your new 5K server or 5K TV won't boot anymore.

How nice.

-gc

The new forum has either 39 or 40 members

[Anonymous Coward]

The forum actually has 40 members, but one of them was ducking a flying chair at the time you must have been looking.

Bad link?

[jdeisenberg]

The link for the name Andy Updegrove should link to
http://www.consortiuminfo.org/newsblog.

Nice one, Bill.

[Rob T Firefly]

Gates noted that the new group, to be known as the Open XML Formats Developer Group, brings together three of his favorite words--"open," "XML," and "developer." "No organization is good unless you put 'open' " in there, Gates said.

So when exactly can we expect MicroOpenSoft to release OpenWindows?

Re:Nice one, Bill.

[Anonymous Coward]

The name was intended to be "Open XML Formats Misappropriation Group," but when someone at the Microsoft meeting pointed out that "misappropriation" is equivalent to "development," and, after all, developers, developers, developers!, it was reluctantly modified.

That's MS Open (TM), I take it?

[NickFortune]

You have to adminer Microsoft's determination to redefine "open" as meaning "closed".

I bet people in Redmond spend a lot of time walking into doors these days

Real purpose

[bobdehnhardt]

A review of the site indicates that no specific initiatives are planned to be undertaken by the forum. Instead, it will provide information and provide a place for developers to pose questions, post content, and engage in discussion.

In other words, the purpose of the Open XML Formats Developer Group is to provide FUD to undermine the ODF Alliance's real work and progress, delaying adoption of ODF until such time as Microsoft can release a competing, purportedly open XML format, which they will then poison with proprietary "extensions" that guarantee their continued stranglehold on office applications. Anyone not see this coming? Anyone?

Re:Real purpose

[ClamIAm]

They don't even need "extensions" anymore, now that we have software patents. All they need is to have part of the schema patented, and they can strangle the format for 20 years.

Re:I'm ambivalent

[BeanThere]

Or you could stop pretending and implying that the average slashdotter derives their opinions on file format standardisation issues from 'emotions' based on bias and ideology, and rather derive a stance based on a well-thought out, rational analysis on the pros and cons of truly open file formats vs proprietary patent-protected formats.

From the web site

[thetoastman]

The Open XML Formats are currently going through the Ecma standards process, and the complete schemas are not yet available. There are no technical articles that have been published yet (other than blog posts, some of which are great), and there are no books out on Open XML Formats development yet.

So, we have no complete schemas (even draft), no technical articles, and no stated direction. We do have blog posts that are great (from a Microsoft technical evangelist).

And yet, we have the following.

Our goal will be to help developers work with the formats right now, through sharing of code samples, white papers, workspace projects, and links to other resources.

Of course, none of this is published on their web site. How do you set up code samples for an XML formate without a working and validating schema?

This entire web site sounds like it serves four purposes:

1. Evangelize Microsoft technology - but then that's the moderator's job
2. Spread FUD about other document standards and document standards processes
3. Get some unwitting help from the Internet community for coding and debugging their standard
4. Get people hooked on the latest Microsoft (eventually) proprietary environment

In short, nothing of note to see here. Move along. This is not the open document standard you're looking for.

Apple?

[mpcooke3]

Why has Apple signed up to this - to ensure microsoft continues MS Office for mac support?

I can't say i'm too worried about Intel and Toshiba supporting the format.

That is unless intel or toshiba make "Open-DRM" hardware chips to stop "secure" MS Office files from being read by non-trusted programs like OpenOffice.

Sorry, but this thread is still short on anti-microsoft conspiracy stories!

Sun, Microsoft strategy: redefine terms

[penguin-collective]

Both Sun and Microsoft have been busy trying to compete with open source by attempting to redefine the meanings of terms like "open" and "free". The Microsoft Office XML formats are not open, because in order to use them, you need a license from Microsoft. The same is true for crucial pieces of the Sun Java language and libraries.

It's important not to let these companies get away with such sleazy tactics and to make sure that both customers and users understand that if they agree to terms of companies like Sun and Microsoft, they accept similar risks to when they buy proprietary, closed source software.