Garrett, Unfortunately not. XML is standardized but Microsoft is planning on using proprietary extensions, which are not. This is what Massachusetts first complained about and the reason for choosing a more open format.
- Bill --- "Garrett P. Taylor" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Actually, I hear the new 2005/6 whatever new version of > Office is > supposed to adopt a new file format. I remember hearing > something about > XML. Either way, it'll be some sort of open format. > > At the same time, though, I can understand the reluctance > to switch. Do > any of the open standards support VBA code? And do the > open spreadsheet > formats support the same formula functions? > > -----Original Message----- > From: Sebastian Smith [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > Sent: Tuesday, September 27, 2005 9:54 AM > To: John Dell > Cc: [email protected] > Subject: Re: [RLUG] Massachusetts goes OpenDoc & PDF for > govt > officeproductivity > > On Mon, 26 Sep 2005, John Dell wrote: > > > I think this is quite significant, Massachusetts has > decreed that all > > government agencies must use open file formats. > > > > > http://www.groklaw.net/article.php?story=20050923142231938 > > > > > *http://news.com.com/Massachusetts+moves+ahead+sans+Microsoft/2100-1012_ > 3-5878869.html?part=rss&tag=5878869&subj=news > > > > It could be that we just witnessed the high water mark > for MS > Office... > > > > IMHO, at best Microsoft would add support for open > formats in the Office > > suite before a significant decline in sales occurs. Of > course, they'll > limit editing capabilities for those files so that users > will rely more > heavily on their proprietary formats... but it would be a > start. > > I'm trying to institute a policy similar to Massachusetts > at my office > because I'm having several document compatibility issues. > For example, > in > our conference room we have an iMac running OS 9.x that > is capable of > playing Powerpoint presentations stored in early formats. > The > "creative" > department is also beginning to use Keynote, a > presentation software by > Apple that is designed to run on OS X 10.2.8+. The > problems? A) > Powerpoint cannot be used to its full capability because > the new file > formats cannot be played (if they are fonts/etc get all > messed up), B) > Keynote won't run on the conference room computer. > Furthermore, when > preparing a presentation to be given offsite, I find it > naive to assume > that the presentation you are creating in PPT, keynote, > or OOo will > display properly, or even be openable at another > location. For that > matter, it is also naive to assume that any document file > will be > displayed exactly as you see it at another location -- > what if you used > an > odd font, or are using different versions of software. > For these > reasons > I'm trying to push management into a PDF only policy. > Users can > continue > to use the Office suite (or whatever they prefer) to edit > their > documents, > but the end result must be in PDF format. The software > to support this > structure will cost more, but the end result will be less > headaches. > > - Sebastian > > _______________________________________________ > RLUG mailing list > [email protected] > http://lists.rlug.org/mailman/listinfo/rlug > > > _______________________________________________ > RLUG mailing list > [email protected] > http://lists.rlug.org/mailman/listinfo/rlug > Bill Cunningham Cell: (775) 813-6892 http://www.cunndev.net _______________________________________________ RLUG mailing list [email protected] http://lists.rlug.org/mailman/listinfo/rlug
