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Microsoft, IBM in slap-fight over open document formats

OpenXML, ODF at heart of tussle
By John Fontana , Network World , 02/14/2007
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Microsoft went on the offensive Wednesday with a Valentine’s Day attack on IBM openly accusing its rival of trying to subvert Microsoft’s efforts to standardize its new document format and in turn destabilize customer choices.

“A lot of hype -- and smoke and mirrors obfuscation -- surrounds interoperability these days,” Microsoft wrote in an open letter published on its Web site.

The letter was authored by Tom Robertson, the general manager for interoperability and standards, and Jean Paoli (pictured), general manager for interoperability and XML architecture.

The hype and obfuscation references point squarely at IBM, which was the only Ecma International member to vote ‘no’ in December to standardizing Microsoft’s Open XML file format.

Ecma International, an international membership-based standards organization for information and communication systems, approved the standardization measure.

OpenXML is the default file format in Office 2007, and support has been back ported to Office 2003, Office XP and Office 2000.

Format fracas
Rivals IBM and Microsoft are in another pitched battle, this time over the future of standardized file formats, specifically the OpenDocument Format (ODF) and Microsoft's Open XML. Here is a look at some of the strengths of both formats.
ODF
Open XML
Uses a mixed content model, which is considered friendlier to developers than other models. Captures 100% of formatting in older Office documents.
Uses existing standards for such functions as drawing, equations and linking. Excel formula language completely defined, whereas ODF is still working on its Excel formula specification.
Separation of style and content considered better in ODF than in other formats. Spreadsheet format said to be faster than ODF spreadsheet format.
Specification is 500 pages long. Specification is 6,000 pages long.
SOURCE: WIKIPEDIA, GROKLAW
Click to see: See the differences with the two formats

After the Ecma vote, Bob Sutor, IBM’s vice president of open source and open standards, wrote on his blog: “The OpenDocument Format ISO standard is vastly superior to the Open XML spec.” Sutor also said in his post: “ODF is what the world needs today to drive competition, innovation and lower costs for customers. It is an example of a real open standard versus a vendor-dictated spec that documents proprietary products via XML. ODF is about the future, Open XML is about the past. We voted for the future.”

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Technologically superior?By Anonymous on February 20, 2007, 11:26 pmThis is not a fashionable comment. There is substance and a basis for the thinking. Fashion is a fad that comes and goes like the wind. If MS claims that any...

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Standardization Abuse to support MonopolyBy Anonymous on February 20, 2007, 10:36 pmNotice the title subject of my comments, "Standardization Abuse to support Monopoly" It is apparent, and I submit blatant that Microsoft (NaziSoft, BorgSoft,...

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ODF is technically superior and strategically betterBy bh on February 18, 2007, 1:00 amI wouldn't say it's "fashionable" to question Microsoft's motives, I would say it is prudent. Microsoft has used its de facto standard with the ".doc" format to...

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+1 to SteveJBy netdef on February 16, 2007, 2:01 pmI have to agree. It's become oddly fashionable to pounce on Microsoft's motivations -- (well, perhaps they have in many ways asked for it) -- but IBM was the 910...

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*Yawn* Same old crap aboutBy SteveJ on February 16, 2007, 7:32 am*Yawn* Same old crap about Microsoft. Same old crap about IBM. They are both big companies after your money. It suits IBM to not allow Microsoft to standardize...

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