Good Lord (http://www.consortiuminfo.org/newsblog/blog.php?ID=1642) could this be the beginning of the end of format lockin?
OK, now I realize that this could be a load of bull (and probably is) to get Massachusetts looking at Microsoft with girly-eyes again. But, if the new "official" stance is the acceptance of the OpenDocument format could it mean that there is a force within Microsoft that sees the benefits of an open format? And if so; will they be getting stitches for Ballmer-inflicted projectile chair wounds in the near future followed by a Wafflin' Microsoftian press release?
Time will tell I guess, but, for now I for one welcome our new open format overlords!
They support WordPerfect's document format, would only make sense that they also support OpenOffice's format.
Well, the real news with this blog is that Microsoft had said in the past that they would never, EVER support OpenDocument and now they're saying they might.
Incedentally, another Microsoft bigwig, Ward Cunningham (http://www.microsoft-watch.com/article2/0,1995,1872348,00.asp?kc=MWRSS02129TX1K0000535) (father of the Wiki concept) jumped ship for the Eclipse Foundation. I smell a regime change coming soon to a Microsoft near you.
Jeepers, I didn't know that Father Ward was even with M$ -- when did that happen? Actually, I would guess his Wiki bio page gives the whole timeline history there...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ward_Cunningham
As of October 2005, he is the Director of Committer Community Development at the Eclipse Foundation (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eclipse_Foundation).
From December 2003 until October 2005 he worked for Microsoft in the "patterns & practices" group. <-- Ah, that makes sense since "ideas which he originated and developed... most famous are the wiki (originally wikiwiki), and many patterns in the field of software patterns, including the collection of patterns that later became known as XP"