"Microsoft intends to submit file formats for its new Office 12 applications to the European standards body ECMA International. The company hopes this will allay concern about its level of control over document formats."
Wow!
According to what several other press voices have commented, this could actually end up in somthing seen as "M$ to open-source its document format". As far as I've understood, they are turning to a "redmondish flavour" of XML for their Office12 bloatware documents.
(Of course: M$ won't ever comply with ANY standard out of the box... like XML).
At least it can be said that sooner or later, writers of import/export functions will have "better" access to what the M$ documents consist of.
Personally, I've always commented that the largest obstacle in getting people AWAY from Microsoft is their proprietary, closed-source document format. Seems like XML finished finally what PDF started: M$'s last line of defense is going to tumble down!
...or sort of.
Greetings
Thomas
http://news.zdnet.com/2100-3513-5965443.html
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