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.
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.
Microsoft's Open Office XML specifications will be scrutinised by government technocrats in Geneva this week to determine if improvements Microsoft has made to it overcome technical problems noted by ISO members last September.
Microsoft intends to submit file formats for its new Office 12 applications to the European standards body ECMA International. The company hopes this will allay concern about its level of control over document formats.
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.
Developers wanting to use Microsoft's Office Open XML specification will need to brush up on their legal skills.
Builders of the Mono open-source development project has released an update that will let programmers write Microsoft .Net applications for Linux and Unix operating systems.
Microsoft and Sun each have their own vision for your IT future; which will you choose? The answer may be easier than you think. ZDNet Australia investigates.
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