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MS Announces Open XML Formats Developer Group

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the monkey-see-microsoft-do dept.

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."

8 of 84 comments (clear)

  1. fence-straddlers? by rkhalloran · · Score: 3, Interesting

    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?

  2. The new forum has either 39 or 40 members by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

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

  3. Bad link? by jdeisenberg · · Score: 5, Informative

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

  4. Nice one, Bill. by Rob+T+Firefly · · Score: 4, Funny

    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?

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    Slashdot Burying Stories About Slashdot Media Owned
  5. That's MS Open (TM), I take it? by NickFortune · · Score: 5, Funny
    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

    --
    Don't let THEM immanentize the Eschaton!
  6. Real purpose by bobdehnhardt · · Score: 5, Insightful
    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?
  7. Re:I'm ambivalent by BeanThere · · Score: 3, Insightful

    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.

  8. Apple? by mpcooke3 · · Score: 3, Insightful

    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!