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Microsoft Claims OpenDocument is Too Slow

SirClicksalot writes "Microsoft claims that the OpenDocument Format (ODF) is too slow for easy use. They cite a study carried out by ZDNet.com that compared OpenOffice.org 2.0 with the XML formats in Microsoft Office 2003. This comes after the international standards body ISO approved ODF earlier this month." From the ZDNet article: "'The use of OpenDocument documents is slower to the point of not really being satisfactory,' Alan Yates, the general manager of Microsoft's information worker strategy, told ZDNet UK on Wednesday. 'The Open XML format is designed for performance. XML is fundamentally slower than binary formats so we have made sure that customers won't notice a big difference in performance.'"

16 of 553 comments (clear)

  1. Re:I don't know about the rest of you... by Monoman · · Score: 4, Funny

    It does when you are writing MS Office worms and viruses. :-)

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  2. the new MS tag line... by revery · · Score: 5, Funny

    I can just see Microsoft's new slogan for Office 12:

    "Microsoft, saving your life, one microsecond at a time..."

    1. Re:the new MS tag line... by ch-chuck · · Score: 2, Funny

      There is *no* amount of time saving software that can make up for all the time *wasted* rebooting.

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  3. Re:INCITS by GPLDAN · · Score: 2, Funny

    They'll release a study that shows that ODF causes cancer in lab mice.

  4. And in earlier news, unbundling IE from Windows... by dpbsmith · · Score: 3, Funny

    ...is impossible, due to the therblig frammisating thingumbob.

    Well, actually, now that you mention it, a professor and his student did remove it, but you can't call it successful, because um, performance, sure, that's right, in our labs our very own scientific technical unbiased tests showed that because of ferthbernder sprocket-flange snap-toggle linkage, when you removed IE using the professor's techniques, it reduced Windows performance by a lot of percent. No user would accept this, any more than they would accept the reduced performance of WIndows on a year-old PC.

    We will now show you just how severe this performance problem is.

    Right here. In this very courtroom.

    With a faked demo^h^h^h^h^h^h^h^h^h^h a dramatic, animated illustration presented right on the screen of an actual PC.

  5. The rest of the quote by maggard · · Score: 4, Funny
    Yates went on to say that using MS formats left a fresh, minty feeing in user's mouths while every time an open one is used a kitten dies.

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  6. Re:INCITS by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny
    where have you been?
    Waiting for OOo to open my ODF files. :-)
  7. Does this really surprise anyone? by multiOSfreak · · Score: 3, Funny

    I mean, really. Is it such a shock that MS is trying to damage the reputation of a rival format? Actually, they're talking more about OpenOffice as an application rather than the ODF format, which is a very dishonest bit of FUD. I'm sure there will be more propaganda against ODF from the company we love to hate in the near future.

    Perhaps next they'll claim that ODF is so slow that it's causing Vista to be late to market.

  8. Re:I don't know about the rest of you... by tomandlu · · Score: 3, Funny

    WTF! Uh, so if I give you a free dog that pisses in your beer and eats your kids, it's better than any dog you paid for?

    Look, OO is either better or worse than MSO (and "better" could cover a multitude of virtues), but the old "it's free, so don't complain" is a very stupid arguement that really, really should not be made anymore.

    Really.

  9. Re:I don't know about the rest of you... by XMyth · · Score: 4, Funny

    I don't drink or have children so your point is moo!

  10. Re:I don't know about the rest of you... by BrynM · · Score: 2, Funny
    It's comparing the speed of OpenOffice vs. Microsoft Office. It does not make any sense.
    MS promoting the new Chewbacca Document Format and is using the proper defense to shore up their claims of it's superiority :)

    (yes, every tag in the CDF is "aaaaawrwwwggggg" - and you thought it was binary data - It's Wookie dammit!)

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  11. Microsoft's upcoming ODF complaints: by jdbartlett · · Score: 5, Funny
    • ODF also stands for Oregon Department of Forestry, we're worried our Oregon customers will become confused.
    • ODF also stands for Orientation Distribution Function, we're worried our crystallographer customers will become confused.
    • ODF doesn't have a Start button.
    • ODF encourages piracy. You know, document piracy.
    • ODF undermines our current business strategy and is unfair to Microsoft.
    • Microsoft supports Open formats such as ODF...
    • ...in fact, we've introduced some exclusive new features to make ODF even better! (only available in Microsoft Office 2008, make that 9, no, 2010, maybe...)
    • Profit.
  12. Re:I don't know about the rest of you... by sammy+baby · · Score: 4, Funny

    I wouldn't drink or have kids either if someone was there all the time, standing ready to urinate in my beverage or devour my children.

    Good god man, open your eyes!

    (This analogy is fun! We need more like this one.)

  13. Re:I don't know about the rest of you... by Karma+Farmer · · Score: 2, Funny

    Hopefully someone articulate will set the story straight and the moderators won't have to reward the loonies.

    On slashdot, the loonies moderate you!

  14. In other news by Saint_Waldo · · Score: 1, Funny

    Coke annouces Pepsi kills babies, citing a study published by the Coca-Cola Bottlers of America.

  15. Bye bye Vista? by Spy+der+Mann · · Score: 2, Funny

    "We'd support it but it's too slow"

    This means they'll cut off Vista support? :(