Re: [tdf-discuss] Re: Do not support writing to OOXML format

On 1/3/2011 4:55 AM, Zaphod Feeblejocks wrote:
> <snip>
> It may be that without explicity aiming to remove users from our sister, OOo, aiming to take
> the other 20% who do not use MSO 07 (plus those who do!) may be a more effective way to
> spread the file format.  If we can get ODT used enough - through users choosing to overlook
> docx output - many MSO users may find it helpful to have LibO (or OOo) installed also.  At
> some point they will wonder why they keep paying for MSO.
>
> zf

Unfortunately, those MSO users can easily remain unaware of the value of OOo/LibO (and other ODF 
applications), because since Office 2007 SP2, Office (on Windows, with no plugins) will read and 
write ODF formats. If one of these MSO users gets an ODF document from a non-MSO application, it 
will open. If they don't notice compatibility problems, they will have no reason to investigate. In 
many cases, though, especially with spreadsheets, there will be obvious problems. So who will get 
the blame -- MSO, or the other application? Will they be likely to install the non-MSO application, 
even though it's free? Will the non-MSO application user continue to use ODF, or switch to exporting 
XP or OOXML formats to maintain interoperability? (Out of self-preservation, they really need to do 
that; it's not clear at the moment which of these formats will be better for interoperability.)

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