There are currently two international open document formats: Microsoft’s OOXML, and the truly open Open Document Format (ODF).

Microsoft bought and paid for its ISO certification last year. (OOXML is not open; Microsoft merely promises not to sue anyone for using its format.) As an extra layer of protection, perhaps, Microsoft’s published OOXML specification is a mess, and Microsoft Office does not conform to its own spec.

Even though Microsoft managed to coerce enough countries into voting to certify OOXML as an international open standard, many countries have made the use of ODF mandatory. As a result, Microsoft Office could become useless for anyone dealing with government documents.

For this reason, Microsoft will finally support ODF natively in the second service pack release, coming April 28th. There are rumors that future versions will even use ODF as the default file format (or be configurable to do so). Score one for open source!

Now when will U.S. courts finally embrace openness instead of relying on Microsoft’s proprietary standards?

Office 2007 SP2 coming April 28 | ZDNet (via Lifehacker)

Microsoft bowing to the inevitable, will offer ODF support with Office SP2 is a post from: Lawyerist

New York and Minnesota just completed studies into the merits of using open formats.

In the Minnesota report, the Office of Enterprise Technology came out in favor of open document formats, but stated that the marketplace is in flux, and it may be too early to recommend one format over another. (In related news, Microsoft just announced that it will support the Open Document Format in its next Office 2007 update.)

The New York report was a bit confusing, advising that NY should not adopt any one format due to the risk of it becoming outdated. This is confusing, because open, standardized formats do not become outdated. That is the whole point of ISO standardization.

New York and Minnesota Publish Open Document Studies [/.]

Minnesota study supports open document formats is a post from: Lawyerist

According to InformationWeek, the British Educational Communications and Technology Agency is advocating for removing Microsoft Office from the classroom in favor of open-standards compliant office suites like OpenOffice.org.

It is good to see this kind of pressure on Microsoft. If they would either open up their OOXML standard or else support the Open Document Format like nearly every other office suite, it would benefit everyone. Microsoft is already starting to lose money as agencies like BECTA start opting for free software like OOo instead of the costly Microsoft bundle, so it seems like opening up its platform would be in its best interests.

If only the legal system would follow BECTA’s lead.

Brits shying away from Microsoft Office is a post from: Lawyerist

Today Microsoft announced a “new interoperability.” Microsoft promised, among other things, to open up cooperation with open source software, including distributing its APIs for its software and allowing open-source project to use them without fear of lawsuits. It already released its Office binary formats.

The European Union, however, is investigating Microsoft for antitrust violations and called bullshit on Microsoft’s announcement, noting that “today’s announcement follows at least four similar statements by Microsoft in the past on the importance of interoperability.”

If Microsoft is truly willing to cooperate with the open-source community, that is good news. But it would be shocking news, indeed. On the desktop, Microsoft is king. When it comes to the backbone of the internet, Microsoft is a very, very distant second to Linux. Microsoft almost certainly has something else in mind.

Microsoft announces “new interoperability;” EU calls bullshit is a post from: Lawyerist

Under a new Dutch law, the Dutch government must start using open source software by April 2008. In addition to the greater security and resistance obsolescence, open source software could save the Dutch government as much at $8.8 million per year on city housing registers alone.

Meanwhile, Microsoft chimes in about its race “to achieve ‘open source’ certification for its Open Office XML standard” (read: buying off everyone it can, and still failing). The company also says “We think it’s not in the best interest of the wider software market to single out one model for endorsement like this,” he said. One model? Open source is many models, one standard. Microsoft is just as quick to suggest its own, proprietary standard–one model–to replace the freer open source software.

Cheers to the Netherlands for leading the way into the future!

[via CL&P Blog]

Netherlands go open source! is a post from: Lawyerist