Comments on: Microsoft will offer Open Doc Format for Office Suite http://www.dvorak.org/blog/2006/07/06/microsoft-corp-will-offer-free-software-that-will-allow-word-excel-and-powerpoint-to-handle-documents-in-rival-technology-formats/ General interest observations and true web-log. Mon, 13 Feb 2012 06:39:26 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: gquaglia http://www.dvorak.org/blog/2006/07/06/microsoft-corp-will-offer-free-software-that-will-allow-word-excel-and-powerpoint-to-handle-documents-in-rival-technology-formats/comment-page-1/#comment-201717 gquaglia Fri, 07 Jul 2006 15:30:28 +0000 http://www.dvorak.org/blog/?p=6052#comment-201717 #8 you are right, Office is powerfull. More powerfull then most busnesses need for the price M$ demands of it. I think most could be well suited with OO if they could break themselves of the M$ monoculture. #8 you are right, Office is powerfull. More powerfull then most busnesses need for the price M$ demands of it. I think most could be well suited with OO if they could break themselves of the M$ monoculture.

]]> By: xrayspex http://www.dvorak.org/blog/2006/07/06/microsoft-corp-will-offer-free-software-that-will-allow-word-excel-and-powerpoint-to-handle-documents-in-rival-technology-formats/comment-page-1/#comment-201643 xrayspex Fri, 07 Jul 2006 13:23:08 +0000 http://www.dvorak.org/blog/?p=6052#comment-201643 I'm no fan of Microsoft's business practices or corporate culture, but I will say that they put out some good products. (Each of which has it's own problems, of course.) I'm sure the majority never uses the most advanced features of the Office suite, but <b>I</b> do, and there is an amazing amount of power in being able to tie together spreadsheets, databases, web pages, etc. using Visual Basic for Applications (VBA). Word, Excel, Access, and so on may appear to be separate applications, but they're not. There really isn't anything else out there, open-source or otherwise, that comes within an order of magnitude of them as a whole. Anyway, I wouldn't see their nod to interoperability with open document formats as anything TOO positive... I'm sure their goal is the same as always when approaching competition: embrace, extend, exterminate. It's been a very effective strategy. I’m no fan of Microsoft’s business practices or corporate culture, but I will say that they put out some good products. (Each of which has it’s own problems, of course.) I’m sure the majority never uses the most advanced features of the Office suite, but I do, and there is an amazing amount of power in being able to tie together spreadsheets, databases, web pages, etc. using Visual Basic for Applications (VBA). Word, Excel, Access, and so on may appear to be separate applications, but they’re not. There really isn’t anything else out there, open-source or otherwise, that comes within an order of magnitude of them as a whole.

Anyway, I wouldn’t see their nod to interoperability with open document formats as anything TOO positive… I’m sure their goal is the same as always when approaching competition: embrace, extend, exterminate. It’s been a very effective strategy.

]]> By: tcc3 http://www.dvorak.org/blog/2006/07/06/microsoft-corp-will-offer-free-software-that-will-allow-word-excel-and-powerpoint-to-handle-documents-in-rival-technology-formats/comment-page-1/#comment-201294 tcc3 Fri, 07 Jul 2006 04:10:34 +0000 http://www.dvorak.org/blog/?p=6052#comment-201294 Wow, where can I get a wall paper sized version of that graphic. Thats hilarious. =) Wow, where can I get a wall paper sized version of that graphic. Thats hilarious. =)

]]> By: Mr. H. Fusion http://www.dvorak.org/blog/2006/07/06/microsoft-corp-will-offer-free-software-that-will-allow-word-excel-and-powerpoint-to-handle-documents-in-rival-technology-formats/comment-page-1/#comment-201286 Mr. H. Fusion Fri, 07 Jul 2006 04:00:49 +0000 http://www.dvorak.org/blog/?p=6052#comment-201286 #5, I use OO at home while my wife is keeping her M$ Office at both home and work. She often asks me to create some form or do other work and several times I have sent her documents for her to fax from her office (we don't have a fax machine at home). Although not always, there have been some formatting issues going from one to the other. Especially when going from OO to Office. Many businesses insist you send documents in Office formats only. Another point I suggested earlier, Europe is insisting M$ open up the Windows code to other companies. For whatever reasons, the EU is seriously considering fining M$ $500 million for non compliance. I think M$ will head off another episode like that by opening the door first while not necessarily giving up the source code. #5, I use OO at home while my wife is keeping her M$ Office at both home and work. She often asks me to create some form or do other work and several times I have sent her documents for her to fax from her office (we don’t have a fax machine at home). Although not always, there have been some formatting issues going from one to the other. Especially when going from OO to Office. Many businesses insist you send documents in Office formats only.

Another point I suggested earlier, Europe is insisting M$ open up the Windows code to other companies. For whatever reasons, the EU is seriously considering fining M$ $500 million for non compliance. I think M$ will head off another episode like that by opening the door first while not necessarily giving up the source code.

]]> By: gregallen http://www.dvorak.org/blog/2006/07/06/microsoft-corp-will-offer-free-software-that-will-allow-word-excel-and-powerpoint-to-handle-documents-in-rival-technology-formats/comment-page-1/#comment-201227 gregallen Fri, 07 Jul 2006 03:09:07 +0000 http://www.dvorak.org/blog/?p=6052#comment-201227 Why would anyone buy MS Office to use Open Document files? Why not use the free Open Office which uses those files natively? Why would anyone buy MS Office to use Open Document files?

Why not use the free Open Office which uses those files natively?

]]> By: ECA http://www.dvorak.org/blog/2006/07/06/microsoft-corp-will-offer-free-software-that-will-allow-word-excel-and-powerpoint-to-handle-documents-in-rival-technology-formats/comment-page-1/#comment-201221 ECA Fri, 07 Jul 2006 03:02:39 +0000 http://www.dvorak.org/blog/?p=6052#comment-201221 Ok, they have done this before, and it was cool, but Flawed. Then they Bought out most of the companies, and Went their OWN way again... For the Price they are charging for OFFICE, BASIC....SUCK. Nice graphic word processor and Excell basic, and $50...would be nice. but it wont happen. Ok,
they have done this before, and it was cool, but Flawed.
Then they Bought out most of the companies, and Went their OWN way again…
For the Price they are charging for OFFICE, BASIC….SUCK.
Nice graphic word processor and Excell basic, and $50…would be nice.

but it wont happen.

]]> By: Dan http://www.dvorak.org/blog/2006/07/06/microsoft-corp-will-offer-free-software-that-will-allow-word-excel-and-powerpoint-to-handle-documents-in-rival-technology-formats/comment-page-1/#comment-201205 Dan Fri, 07 Jul 2006 02:46:08 +0000 http://www.dvorak.org/blog/?p=6052#comment-201205 They will screw this up worse than their Ipod killer but it won't cost them as much. They will screw this up worse than their Ipod killer but it won’t cost them as much.

]]> By: Mr. H. Fusion http://www.dvorak.org/blog/2006/07/06/microsoft-corp-will-offer-free-software-that-will-allow-word-excel-and-powerpoint-to-handle-documents-in-rival-technology-formats/comment-page-1/#comment-201184 Mr. H. Fusion Fri, 07 Jul 2006 02:16:53 +0000 http://www.dvorak.org/blog/?p=6052#comment-201184 gq, I don't know if M$ is worried or just seeing the times, they are a changing. I'm sure they are also looking over their shoulders at another possible anti trust suit, this time in M$ Office. You are right about laughing it off five years ago though. gq, I don’t know if M$ is worried or just seeing the times, they are a changing. I’m sure they are also looking over their shoulders at another possible anti trust suit, this time in M$ Office. You are right about laughing it off five years ago though.

]]> By: gquaglia http://www.dvorak.org/blog/2006/07/06/microsoft-corp-will-offer-free-software-that-will-allow-word-excel-and-powerpoint-to-handle-documents-in-rival-technology-formats/comment-page-1/#comment-201088 gquaglia Fri, 07 Jul 2006 00:00:02 +0000 http://www.dvorak.org/blog/?p=6052#comment-201088 The fact that they are doing is proves they are worried. Worried about the open source movement. 5 years ago, M$ would have just laughed it off and continue to collect their tribute from their subjects, I mean customers. The fact that they are doing is proves they are worried. Worried about the open source movement. 5 years ago, M$ would have just laughed it off and continue to collect their tribute from their subjects, I mean customers.

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