[steering-discuss] Support for OOXML

Thorsten Wrote...

Hi Leif,

you wrote:
> *Which of the standards (mentioned by name, version number and Amendment)
> are supported by the application?*
>
> Answer:
>
> The file format for text documents, spreadsheets and presentations in
> LibreOffice is OASIS ODF 1.2, Committee Draft 06, with a few extensions.
> These expansions are part of the ongoing work in the constantly progress
in
> standardization and the extensions will be considered and approved by
OASIS
> and subsequently submitted to ISO for ratification.
>
"...and the extensions are, or will be submitted to OASIS for
standardization". Scratch the ISO part. We cannot guarantee what
OASIS approves, nor can we (individually) force OASIS/ISO's hand for
ratifications.

Added!

> LibreOffice can read and write ODF 1.0 and 1.1 documents.
>
Slightly misleading - read both, writes only 1.1.

Corrected!

> LibreOffice partially supports ISO / IEC 29500.
>
Yes.

> Question 3:
>
> *This implementation is in full compliance with that standard or has been
> only partial implementation.*
>
> Answer:
>
> Implementation of the support for ODF is, in our belief in complete
> accordance with the specifications mentioned above.
>
> Support for ISO / IEC 29500 is carried out in a way with focus on those
> parts who ahve actually been implemented by others (Microsoft Office).
Some
> details of the specification has never been implemented in Microsoft
Office and
> other details has been implemented incorrectly. In LibreOffice, we have
> chosen to implement the format of Microsoft Office because we consider
> Microsoft
> Office as the reference implementation.
>
"In LibreOffice, we have chosen to implement the subset of the
format in use by Microsoft Office, because we consider Microsoft
Office to be the implementation our users want to interoperate
with."

Added

> Support for Microsoft Office 2007 formats is merely designed two meet
customer
> needs in order to read and edit existing documents in t format – e.g.,
> when exchang > ing documents with others. <bold>It has never been an
explicit goal to support an
> academic standard, and we can therefore not guarantee an implementation
that
> is completely in accordance to the specifications.</bold>
>
Let's please scratch this. The ISO29500 spec was immensely helpful
to come up with the filter code, and at any rate, was the starting
point and the tabletop reference for the devs on all sides of this
endeavour. LibreOffice strives to be standards-conformant - so
conformance with ISO29500 is the norm, not the exception. When it
comes to bugs in implementations, the previous paragraph above
already conveys what side we err on.

Why scratch it?

I think its an important statement (bolded) that we are not implementing
OOXML because its a standard but because our customers needs it. Therefore
we implement what the customers needs in their everyday work.

Your last statement is explained in the sentence below this: "We intend
to....."

I would very much like this part to stay.

> LibreOffice intend - when possible - to support the approved standards in
> full, including ISO / IEC 29500.
>
Quite. :slight_smile:

Cheers,

-- Thorsten

Cheers,
Leif