微软宣布开放其文档格式

微软宣布开放其文档格式

微软于上周宣布，出于互操作性原则，将开放其专有的文件格式。这些文件格式包括：Word、Excel、PowerPoint甚至更多。尽管还有很多通讯格式没有公开，还是该庆祝其举动。
微软的官方声明如下：
Microsoft recognizes that in an increasingly interconnected computing landscape, enabling interoperability between products from different vendors has become more important than ever. Spurred in part by the standards-based nature of the Internet, the computing industry has made great strides toward achieving effective interoperability between a wide range of products to meet customer needs. But customers are demanding more from all software companies.
For its part, Microsoft recognizes the important responsibilities that it bears by virtue of the mission-critical use of its products by customers worldwide on a daily basis. Certain Microsoft products (Windows Vista including the .NET Framework, Windows Server 2008, SQL Server 2008, Office 2007, Exchange 2007, and Office SharePoint Server 2007, and future versions of these products, referred to in this document as "high-volume products") have become so central to operational continuity of customers’ businesses that interoperability and data portability solutions are more valued than ever.
其实微软的用意也是很明显的：
1）来自文档开放标准ODF的压力，OOXML显然难以经受时间的检验；
2）微软的长期垄断在世界各地引起的反抗，此举有利于减轻抗力；
3）新版操作系统Vista的市场占有率不尽如人意，开放格式有助于把用户继续汇集到windows平台下；
4）有利于微软打击同行，扩大其领先优势。
最后提醒一点：微软只是开放其主要的Word、Excel、PowerPoint文档格式，并非是开源这些格式，要想从中进行商业应用，还需注意license问题。