Microsoft to Support ODF
In a press release yesterday, Microsoft announced that they would provide support for ODF through a free plugin:
Expanding on its customer-focused commitment to interoperability, Microsoft Corp. today announced the creation of the Open XML Translator project. The project, developed with partners, will create tools to build a technical bridge between the Microsoft® Office Open XML Formats and the OpenDocument Format (ODF). This work is in response to government requests for interoperability with ODF because they work with constituent groups that use that format. In addition to being made available as free, downloadable add-ins for several older versions of the Microsoft Office system, the translation tools will be developed and licensed as open source software. The translation tools will be broadly available to the industry for use with other individual or commercial projects to accelerate document interoperability and expand customer choice between Open XML and other technologies.
I am certainly pleased to hear that Microsoft is finally acknowledging the need to support consumer choice in general, and ODF in particular. That is a major step in the right direction.
But the folks out in Redmond apparently could not resist declaring their format’s superiority over ODF:
... Open XML formats are also distinguished by their approach to accessibility support for disabled workers, file performance and flexibility to empower organizations to access and integrate their own XML data with the documents they use every day. In contrast, ODF focuses on more limited requirements, is architected very differently and is now under review in OASIS subcommittees to fill key gaps such as spreadsheet formulas, macro support and support for accessibility options. As a result, certain compromises and customer disclosures will be a necessary part of translating between the two formats.
That to me sounds like a bit of defensiveness on Microsoft’s part…. I’d be interested in hearing what the folks at OASIS have to say. Peter?
Regardless, while this plugin—like the one demonstrated by Sun last month—means that the Commonwealth can proceed with the scheduled migration to ODF, it still does not resolve the issue of product affordability for people living on fixed incomes, which unfortunately is the situation in which many individuals who are blind find themselves. If you are unemployed and faced with the added expenses of alternative transportation, accessible electronics and appliances, and assistive technology, dropping $400 on Microsoft Office is not all that feasible. We really need Freedom Scientific and GW Micro to provide support for StarOffice/OpenOffice. And for those individuals who cannot afford a computer due to the high cost of Windows and Windows screen readers, we need to get involved with Sun’s Orca project.