Microsoft signs Office open source pact
If you can’t beat 'em
Sourcesense, a European sauce consultancy has signed with proprietary software maker Microsoft to make open sauce software for Office.
First off is developing future Apache POI libraries to support the Ecma Office Open XML File Formats (the default file format in the 2007 Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint products).
Gianugo Rabellino, CEO of Sourcesense, said: “Apache POI support for Open XML is compelling. It makes it easier to integrate, manage and deploy across the enterprise, and opens up valuable user contributions and feedback — an essential step to the interoperability and adoption of many collaboratively developed technologies. Microsoft’s participation with the Apache community reinforces its commitment to bridging open standards with Open Source. The timing is perfect, and we’re thrilled to be a part of this important milestone.”
“Donating code to an established, consensus-driven organization such as the Apache Software Foundation benefits both our customers and the open source community at large. By helping contribute to new Apache solutions, we are putting our intentions into action, and giving back to this dynamic community,” said Sam Ramji, senior director of Platform Technology Strategy at Microsoft. µ
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Comments
Problem is
The only problem is that OOXML Ecma standard is NOT the file format of Office2007. Microsoft implemented it only partially and loaded it with a big pile of proprietary sh*t. So the Ecma OOXML is a standard that is not implemented by any software out there to date.