Microsoft calls IBM hypocritical on document standards

Microsoft is accusing rival IBM of orchestrating a campaign to block efforts to standardise Office document formats.

In an open letter released Wednesday, Microsoft executives contend that IBM is trying to influence the standards process to limit choice. It also said that IBM is encouraging governments to mandate a document format that IBM favours.

The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) is in the process of evaluating Microsoft’s Office Open XML (OOXML) — the default document formats in Microsoft Office 2007 — as a standard. Such a ratification would be significant, particularly to governments that favour ISO certification for digital documents.

IBM and other Microsoft competitors favour OpenDocument Format (ODF), a format that has been standardised at the ISO. Government customers, including Massachusetts and some European countries, back ODF.

Full story: ZDNet.com.au