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Microsoft Office 2007 to Support ODF - But Not OOXML

Posted by timothy on from the such-strange-goings-on dept.

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)."

10 of 377 comments (clear)

  1. Results for eggs by pacroon · · Score: 5, Funny

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

    --
    It's all fun & games until someone loses the game.
    1. Re:Results for eggs by Uncle+Focker · · Score: 4, Funny

      Throwing chairs might have yielded results faster.

    2. Re:Results for eggs by RealGrouchy · · Score: 5, Funny

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

      - RG>

      --
      Hey pal, this isn't a pleasantforest, so don't waste my time with pleasantries!
  2. MS BJ's by JeremyGNJ · · Score: 5, Funny

    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.

    1. Re:MS BJ's by Uncle+Focker · · Score: 4, Funny

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

    2. Re:MS BJ's by Uncle+Focker · · Score: 5, Funny

      or of them biting down and demanding to be paid to let go. That's one way to achieve vendor lock-in.
  3. Re:Wow by mrslacker · · Score: 5, Funny

    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
  4. Re:Sinking Ship. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    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. ~
  5. Re:Wow by Gauthic · · Score: 5, Funny

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

  6. Re:Sinking Ship. by pjt33 · · Score: 5, Funny

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