Open XML Translator for Microsoft Word Available

narramissic writes "The first phase of a Microsoft-funded project to create software that can convert Microsoft Word documents between Open XML and Open Document Format (ODF) has been completed. As a result, the Open XML Translator is now available for download in version 1.0 from SourceForge.net. A ComputerWorld article details the history of the project, discussing the work of companies like CleverAge and AztecSoft, as well as community efforts to bring this project to realization."

Comments

Re:a question instead of a statement

[Iphtashu Fitz]

I have a document
I convert it to XML

then what?

The latest and greatest(?) versions of the MS Office programs save natively in XML. This converter lets you convert to ODF, which lets you read the files into OpenOffice on any operating system, or any other application that supports ODF. It basically lets you get out from under the MS proprietary format and into an open standard.

Re:Relation to Linux?

[mtenhagen]

Software Requirements

Before installing the add-in, make sure you have one of the followings...

        * Microsoft Word XP
        * Office Compatibility Pack
        * .NET framework 2.0

or

        * Microsoft Word 2003
        * Office Compatibility Pack
        * .NET framework 2.0*

or

        * Word 2007 with .NET Programmability Support activated
        * .NET framework 2.0*

Minimum Software Requirements

To compile the source distribution, you will need Microsoft Visual Studio 2005.

Re:What's the point?

[blowdart]

Actually if you look at where it appears it's right off the root of the File menu. So it stands out more than Save As, which needs to be chosen; then subtype chosen. It looks (to my mind) to be more important in the menu structure.

Re:Why is this such a big thing?

[Anonymous Coward]

//As a result, some governments asked for a converter that would move documents back and forth between these formats and for some reason they asked that MS not contribute or control the code, just fund it.//

1. They didn't ask for a converter, they asked for the ability to save OpenDocument (ODF) as the default file format. That is something that the CleverAge plugin specifically cannot do.

2. They said nothing whatsoever about Microsoft controlling it or funding it.

3. Due to its sever limitations, the CleverAge plugin is not the one you want anyway. Wait a little while for the daVinci plugin to become available, and get perfect compatibility with your old legacy format documents and perfect conformance to ODF, and also get the ability to have ODF as the default document format. If you get the daVinci plugin, it will also solve conversions between different versions of Office as a bonus feature.

http://www.fr0mat.org/

Get a preview demo here: http://opendocument.foundation.googlepages.com/hom e

Re:Why is this such a big thing?

[mhall119]

It's open source. If there is some piece of code that causes it to produce bad ODF files, you can fix it yourself, and make the fix available for anyone else. If they refuse to merge it back into the the main branch, you can fork it and then fix it, and again make it available to anyone else.

As for the profit motive, more and more governments are starting to talk about mandating non-proprietary file formats. Microsoft doesn't want to include this in Word, obviously, but if a city, state, or even national government decides it wants to use ODF, Microsoft doesn't want to be the only Office suite on the block that can't handle it.