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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)."
I'm not sure what you mean by "too little too late", considering Microsoft has been selling Office 2007 like pancakes since it was released.
The twitter monologues. Click on my homepage and be amazed.
They have admitted they need ODF and that will kill OOXML, Office and them. That's because everyone knows OOXML is not ready and will never be good enough. The usual trick of making ODF difficult will not work because people can simply download Open Office. People might do that anyway because Office is not worth the money [look a twitter reference]. If they don't really become an honest company, and they won't, things will get worse. Despite drastic measures they already have a hard time moving their new software. When they lose the document franchise, they lose the OS monopoly. The curtian is falling fast on their heads.
Office 2007 has some really excellent improvements over previous versions of office. Not the least of which is the awesome Sharepoint integration. Previous upgrades have often left me saying, "yeah, ok, new office, flashy buttons, whatever." Once you get past the new UI though, this version really is a marked enhancement over previous iterations in many ways. The office team appears to be one of the few (only?) groups at Microsoft that's churning out a better product. ("only" gets a question mark because WHS should be awesome - alas, no 64bit connector makes me sad.)
You are using English. Please learn the difference between loose and lose; they're, there, and their; your and you're.
IBM has 2 people on the payroll who's sole purpose is to trash OOXML (Rob Weir and PJ). IBM definitely has a hidden agenda.