Microsoft Office 2007 to Support ODF - But Not OOXML

Andy Updegrove writes "About two hours ago, Microsoft announced that it will update Office 2007 to natively support ODF 1.1, but not to implement its own OOXML format. Not until Office 14 is released (no date given so far for that) will anyone be able to buy an OOXML ISO-compliant version. Why will Microsoft do this after so many years of refusal? Perhaps because the only way it can deliver a product to government customers that meets an ISO/IEC document format standard is by finally taking the plunge, and supporting 'that other format.' Still, many questions remain, such as when this upgrade will actually be released, how good a job it will do, and whether the API Microsoft has said it will make available to permit developers to supply 'save to ODF' default plugins will be supported by a patent non-assertion promise allowing implementations under the GPL (the upgrade supplied by Microsoft will not allow ODF as the default setting)."

Comments

Results for eggs

[pacroon]

So I guess speaking Hungarian and throwing eggs at Steve Ballmer actually did pay off.

Re:Results for eggs

[Uncle Focker]

Throwing chairs might have yielded results faster.

Re:Results for eggs

[RealGrouchy]

Choose your weapon wisely; it's hard to throw an egg back.

- RG>

Re:Results for eggs

[Anonymous Coward]

I disagree. If you throw chairs, they laugh at you on /., but if you throw eggs they honor your courage.

Beside that, an egg is a far more precise instrument. It has better flying qualities and you can by them in small packages 6, 10, or 12 eggs at once for 1-5 EUR. In Hungary they might be even cheaper.

So tell me were can I get 10 chairs for a total of 5 EUR and put them in a small bag.

The last big advantage of eggs over chairs is the range. While normal humans throw a chair up to 3 meter. An egg, however, can easily be thrown 5 to 10 meter. Even a standard geek is able to throw it without insuring him- or herself.

And the best of all is the look on the victims face after an egg impact.

Re:Sinking Ship.

[Anonymous Coward]

Thanks, very insightful.

MS BJ's

[JeremyGNJ]

Jeeeze you people are harsh!

I think that Microsoft could announce tomorrow that they are giving out free blow jobs to anyone who uses Linux. As soon as the first blowjob was given out, someone would find something negative about it.

Re:MS BJ's

[Uncle Focker]

But what if the hooker they hired kept biting your dick? That's not very pleasant...

Re:MS BJ's

[Uncle Focker]

or of them biting down and demanding to be paid to let go. That's one way to achieve vendor lock-in.

Re:MS BJ's

[kiehlster]

Naw, they'd give out CCTVs, Cross-Compatibly Transmitted Viruses.

Re:MS BJ's

[Zero__Kelvin]

"I think that Microsoft could announce tomorrow that they are giving out free blow jobs to anyone who uses Linux. As soon as the first blowjob was given out, someone would find something negative about it."

What are the chances that you would remain virus free if you accepted free blowjobs from Microsoft? ...

(Just because one is paranoid, doesn't mean M$ isn't out to get you)

Re:MS BJ's

[Anonymous Coward]

Looking down and seeing the new face of Microsoft would be highly negative. Although Steve Ballmer would have a fitting name.

Re:MS BJ's

[StormReaver]

"I think that Microsoft could announce tomorrow that they are giving out free blow jobs to anyone who uses Linux. As soon as the first blowjob was given out, someone would find something negative about it."

I know people here sometimes say that Ballmer can suck their dicks, but they don't mean it literally. If you noticed him unzipping your pants and puckering up, wouldn't you have a few terrified comments too?

Re:Wow

[mrslacker]

Talk about mismanagement. Hey Ballmer, why don't you try hitting yourself with the chair this time. Might knock some sense into you. Will this do?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_depth/7412417.stm

You could be right

[overshoot]

Honestly, the first thing I thought when I saw this article was that it had to be some kind of April Fools article come late.

Maybe they were using Excel with a file that actually conformed with ISO date formats?

So much confusion...

[Benanov]

It seems like that all of the really-close-but-not-quite naming schemes meant to cause confusion have finally confused even Microsoft's *marketing* people.

I have a feeling this will get turned on its head: "oh, we really meant OOXML, sorry!"

Re:Sinking Ship.

[Anonymous Coward]

Office 2007 has some really excellent improvements over previous versions of office. Not the least of which is the awesome Sharepoint integration.

I agree! I can't count the number of times I've been writing a letter to family and needed the wife to put in a few words. With the new Sharepoint integration its been a snap for us to collaborate on docs together (like the grocery list). All it took was an extra server, and new licensing seats. ~

Re:Wow

[Gauthic]

That gentleman certainly had some balls, knowing full well that any retaliation fire would be in chairs, not eggs.

Re:An Empire in Rapid Decline, said Time Magazine.

[Anonymous Coward]

I'm glad to hear Microsoft's embracing Python.

Re:Sinking Ship.

[pjt33]

I can't tell if this was sarcasm or not. In that case I'm surprised you've even heard of sarcasm.

Re:Sinking Ship.

[pfleming]

I can't tell if this was sarcasm or not. In that case I'm surprised you've even heard of sarcasm.~
There. Fixed that for you.

Re:Sinking Ship.

[Anonymous Coward]

Office 2007 has some really excellent improvements over previous versions of office. Not the least of which is the awesome Sharepoint integration.

Lovely work there, Evangelist 1142053.

Keep up the good work and you'll be in line for an expenses-paid visit to Redmond and a free laptop.

Hah! He said "chair"...

[mangu]

This is what Rob Weir has proposed (he's an ODF chair).

Then the first thing Ballmer will do is to throw him out.

When will you guys learn not to mention the word "chair" in a discussion involving Microsoft?