Open XML vs. ODF: Document Format Wars Rage On
There are new movements in the ongoing war over document formats this week, with Microsoft facing new challenges and Sun Microsystems possibly facing new opportunities.
As Microsoft encounters resistance in the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) process of approving its Open XML document format, Sun is moving to advance the competing OpenDocument Format (ODF). Sun announced a conversion plug-in for Microsoft Office 2003 on Thursday as the two formats continue to compete to become the XML-based file format of choice for office documents everywhere.
Following several key losses to OpenOffice.org, including one in Massachusetts that made headlines and highlighted the document-format debate, Microsoft has been attempting to protect use of its Office suite from open-source competition by offering its own open document format.
Redmond hit a pothole, however, as 19 ISO countries submitted comments and objections about Open XML, according to news reports this week. Opponents to Open XML are citing technical deficiency and user confusion with the format.
Sun Sneaks In
It is yet unclear whether the submitted comments were serious objections to ratifying Open XML or merely general observations. Neither ISO officials nor Microsoft could be immediately reached to discuss the matter. However, the comments will be made public after February 28.
Meanwhile, Sun is making moves to help ODF gain more enterprise ground with the announcement of its upcoming StarOffice 8 Conversion plug-in for Microsoft Office 2003. The plug-in is designed to allow seamless two-way conversion of Microsoft Office documents to ODF, which is already recognized as an ISO standard.
“Organizations can now consider switching to ISO/IEC 26300 OpenDocument Format while protecting employees needing assistive devices only supported by legacy Microsoft software,” Rich Green, Sun’s executive vice president of software, said in a statement.
Simple Competition
The StarOffice 8 Conversion plug-in is primarily based on the OpenOffice.org platform, the open-source productivity suite…
