Open Xml News & Articles

Google has added support for Microsoft Office 2007 document formats in its search results. The documents, which are stored according to the Office Open XML format, can now be indexed by Google’s search spiders. Currently supported document formats, according to the Google Operating System blog, are Word 2007 .docx files, Excel 2007 .xlsx spreadsheets and PowerPoint 2007 .pptx presentations.

Now, the question is: when will Google Docs start importing Open XML files? When this support is added, it will satisfy many users as this is a highly-anticipated feature. Currently, competitors such as Zamzar and Zoho Writer feature Open XML file importing capabilities.

In English this time: IBM has joined OpenOffice.org, reportedly to “collaborate on software development for the Open Document Format (ODF), an ISO standard that governs the creation, storage, and exchange of documents,” says Mark Long of newsfactor.com.

IBM will start by sharing the code it’s been developing for its Lotus Notes software, including certain accessibility fixes that may allegedly help OpenOffice “reach parity” with Microsoft’s current offering for disabled workers via Office.

Microsoft’s Open XML format has just been turned down for international standard status.

Microsoft reportedly fails two major criteria for standards designation under the rules of the ISO and the International Electrotechnical Commission.

Critics are making much ado about Microsoft’s Open XML format, which may be adopted as an international standard this weekend.

To loosely paraphrase any of a handful of these naysayers, the new format is — at best — a ploy to keep customers nailed to the Windows cross.

‘Til death do us part.