Microsoft Opens up to Open Document

July 10th, 2006: Microsoft has unexpectedly decided to support the development of open source project tools for conversion to Open Document Format (ODF).

The announcement comes after Microsoft was pressured by governments to sponsor the development of tools for conversion between its open XML format in Office 2007 and Open Document ODF. Microsoft, however, will not be having a major input into the bulk of the tools development, leaving that to three companies Clever Age, Aztecsoft and Dialogika. Microsoft has said will consult with the companies on technical matters and forward any bug reports it receives from end-users of Microsoft Office to the project's developers

The Open XML Translator Project, as the scheme is called, will be hosted on SourceForge.net, and is available under the BSD open source license. The turn around from Microsoft comes as more and more governments move towards the adoption of the format – making it harder for Microsoft to resist pressure to develop a tool for Office 2007. Recently the National Archives (NAA) became the first government department to take up the open document format.

In related events ODF came under strong attack when a Massachusetts State senatorial committee slammed the Massachusetts State Information Technology Division (ITD) for proposing to move to ODF. The case is widely regarded as a watershed for a system of records management that would indeed have changed purchasing, implementation and access dramatically.

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