[odf-discuss] OOXML: The next step

[Ian Lynch]

> What is truly sad is that freedom to innovate and interoperability are
> not mutually exclusive. All it takes is a defined superset profile and
> compatibility modes in implementations for document interchange
> purposes. Then software users could have their choice on a
> per-document basis whizzy new features in a particular app and
> interoperability among their selection from a range of applications. 

In practice that is what will happen. It does already to an extent
because filters are reverse engineered from .doc for a wide range of WPs
and interoperability works reliably in most for simple documents and in
some for even quite complex documents. Published XML open formats will
make that better if not perfect irrespective of pedantry about
standards. To what extent a particular code base becomes the dominant
player is a lot less of an issue especially if there is choice to use
free code bases that will evolve to increase the reliability of
interoperability. That will force prices down and largely remove the
requirement for individuals to use a particular piece of software if
they don't want to except in very specialist industries that allow
themselves to get locked into a single provider. People are still wising
up on that ;-)

Ian
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