News (19)

Microsoft joins OpenDocument group

Microsoft has joined a committee that has a key role in the ratification of the OpenDocument format as an international standard. Read more »

ISO approval 'unlikely for Microsoft Open XML'

The International Organisation for Standardisation is unlikely to adopt Microsoft Office Open XML format, now that it has approved the OpenDocument Format, according to analyst group Gartner. Read more »

ODF finally defeats OOXML in document format war?

Microsoft will add native support to Office 2007 for the OpenDocument Format (ODF) instead of OOXML because of compatibility issues — but Microsoft refuses to admit that ODF has won the document format war. Read more »

Debate rages about the security risks of OOXML

Contrary to claims by the US Department of Defense that Office Open XML might lead to increased security concerns, vendor lock-in and backwards compatibility issues, Microsoft claims that OOXML resolves exactly these issues. Read more »

Despite irregularities, OOXML may clear ISO vote

Early reports indicate that Microsoft's Office Open XML (OOXML) document format appears to have enough votes to be certified an ISO standard but complaints of irregularities and strong-arm tactics are rife. Read more »

Microsoft's standardisation move divides experts

Industry observers have expressed concern about Microsoft's decision to submit the file formats for its new Office 12 applications to ECMA International, a European standards body. Read more »

Microsoft prepares for final OOXML battle

Weeks out from a crucial ISO vote in Geneva on the ratification of Microsoft's proposed Open XML standard, Microsoft is engaged in a last ditch campaign to convince the wider industry that its endeavours are in the best interests of users. Read more »

Office standards battle grinds on

Standards body Ecma International has created a committee to standardise Microsoft Office document formats, handing the software giant a victory in an intensifying struggle over desktop software. Read more »

Microsoft OOXML 'standards' proposal thrown out

Microsoft has failed in its initial effort to fast-track the Office Open XML (OOXML) document file format as an international standard — but it will have another chance in early 2008. Read more »

Microsoft supports Chinese document standard

The company will sponsor an open-source project to create converter between Ecma Open XML and Chinese standard as well as new ODF converters. Read more »

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  • Staff Crying, mooning and leaving

    In this week's roundup we see that continuous whining can get results, Linux users get 64-bit Flash and Moonlight previews, the latest in the Yahoo/Microsoft relationship and Senator Conroy ducks and weave in Senate Question Time. Read more »

    -- posted by Staff

  • Brendon Chase Sun eye Web developers with Netbeans 6.5

    Despite the recent employment axe hitting Sun the company has pushed out a new release of its Netbeans open source IDE with an eye to appeal more to Web developers. Read more »

    -- posted by Brendon Chase

  • Renai LeMay BarCamp buzz: Let the hacking continue

    Attending last weekend's BarCamp in Sydney, it was hard to escape the conclusion that a certain "dot-com bust" flavour had seeped into the kool aid previously being drunk by Australia's web 2.0 and early stage start-up sector. Read more »

    -- posted by Renai LeMay

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