Re: [libreoffice-marketing] Crowdfunding campaign for interoperability with Microsoft® Office

[Telesto]

Hi All,

Not to ruin the mood, but please consult a (or few) developers (like 
Justin).
The whole interoperability thing is pretty quirky topic as the function 
set and/or ground design of LibreOffice being different.


So interoperability always end in awful 'limitations' or needs massive 
amount of work.  Anchors to character are converted. Text boxes changes 
to frames (or something else). Page breaks being paragraph setting in 
Writer and 'object' in Writer. Or the Highlighting/background color 
topic. Or the default font topic (save Calc file into xls & reopen... 
font changed). Or the styles system of LibreOffice not being compatible 
with Word [I think, not 100% sure]


So kind of skeptical if what is 'desired' being even achievable. Or even 
there is any acceptance at all
I did quite some reports on things being different in Writer compared to 
Word. Aside from incompatibility, you get , Writer isn't Word and isn't 
expected it to be. Nor is Writer a clone of Microsoft Office.


So really get the desire, but kind of doubt if there is big 
desire/support. And next comes total sum needed to 'fix' it. I would 
imagine half a million euro not to be unrealistic; but well not a 
developer and not good at estimating.. so this likely gets 'correct'. Or 
people don't even dare put a budget on it. ICT projects & budget mostly 
tricky topic.


But well, hoping Justin having some time to shed some light on the matter.

Cheers,
Telesto



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Re: [libreoffice-marketing] Crowdfunding campaign for interoperability with Microsoft® Office

[Uwe Altmann]

HI Raffaele

Am 10.02.21 um 18:33 schrieb Raffaele Mancuso:
(1) I don't agree that the increase in file size by embedding fonts would 
be a problem. Nowadays kids download 30 GB videogames over the internet.


Besides the arguments brought up there is one further:
The main problem afaik is the mirror network which we use to distribute the 
binaries. Those who operate it freely are rather constraining in regard of 
disk space and especially bandwith. And LO by design is rather lavish on 
this, so we are rather reserved in reclaiming even more capacities. For 
instance this is why the Mac version needs a separate download of your 
preferred language (if not English).


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Uwe Altmann

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Re: [libreoffice-marketing] Crowdfunding campaign for interoperability with Microsoft® Office

[Marc Paré]

Le 2021-02-10 à 12 h 33, Raffaele Mancuso a écrit :
> (3) I thought more generally at handling them better. The first time I
> opened a document that used Calibri with LibreOffice, it was not at
> all obvious to me that the font name being displayed in italics by
> LibreOffice meant that the font was being substituted with another
> one. Maybe when a document uses fonts that are missing on the system,
> we can have LibreOffice displays a message box that shows which fonts
> are missing and which ones are being used as substitutes? 

Hi Raffaele,

I find that you have raised many good suggestions that would enrich the
LibreOffice suite. However, I also agree with Italo regarding his
worries about increasing the size of the LibreOffice download, should
the fonts be included in the LibreOffice package, that, this should be
avoided. As incredible it is, many people still use dial-up, or, close
to dial-up speeds and worry about their download times.

I would propose to add your suggestions as a feature request on the
LibreOffice bugzilla and see if any dev would be interested in
implementing them [https://bugs.documentfoundation.org/]. The feature
request would be something like the following:

===

Feature request:

1. Create an extra function in the "Options -> Fonts" menu, where a user
could choose to download a set of LibreOffice approved substitutions
fonts. The function could then offer to download from a TDF/LibreOffice
font repository on TDF servers and then add them to the user's instance
of LibreOffice, after which,  add these newly downloaded fonts as
substitutions in the "Options ->Fonts" section automatically.

This would virtually not add any size to the installer, the user would
have an easy way of installing MSFont substitutions from inside the
"LibreOffice->Options->Fonts" section (it would be called something like
"Download compatible MS Office Fonts" or "Install compatible MSO Fonts",
and, LibreOffice and its dev/QA/User teams would be able to vet
appropriate opensource substitution fonts for the  repository -- the QA
team would subsequently review the compatible font lists at every large
upgrade or if/when MS would make any changes affecting the list of
compatible fonts. (Note that the same could be done for any Apple fonts
at the same time, should there be any.)

2. Related to the substitution of fonts, LibreOffice would have a popup
window appear whenever a font substitution would occur, advising the
user of the substitution. There would be an additional "switch" in the
LibreOffice->Options-:Fonts section where the user could switch this
function off/on as choice. This function would be turned on by default.

===

This would solve both the concerns of the download size, and, would also
solve the issue with interoperability of fonts for MS docs (well, as
best as it could be done) ... that is, until the ODF becomes more of an
accepted default.

Cheers,

Marc

-- 
Marc Paré
m...@marcpare.com
https://www.parEntreprise.com
parEntreprise.com Supports OpenDocument Formats (ODF)
parEntreprise.com Supports http://www.LibreOffice.org
LibreOffice Office Suite - 200 million users and growing!
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Re: [libreoffice-marketing] Crowdfunding campaign for interoperability with Microsoft® Office

[Italo Vignoli]

Hi Raffaele, I will try to answer the most relevant point, trying to be 
as succinct as possible.


On 2/10/21 6:33 PM, Raffaele Mancuso wrote:

There have already been specific projects about interoperability, 
funded by different entities. There is a team in Hungary working full 
time for OOXML interoperability.


Can't the new people we hire support and work together with the team in 
Hungary?


Of course, Gabor Kelemen and his colleagues would be extremely happy.

Although I fail to understand some points, for instance, how the fact 
that a document saved by MSO can be shorter/longer somewhat implies that 
the standard is being violated.


Short answer, yes. In the reality, Microsoft is using the most 
sophisticated resources to manage OOXML, and because of this the issue 
is terribly complex. For instance, they leverage the fact that users are 
not consistent in their approach to software, to have this reflected in 
the format (which is screwed up even more than it should).



Then what is the purpose of Part 4 of OOXML (ISO/IEC 29500-4:2016)?
It is titled "Transitional Features".


Is my understanding that, by and large, OOXML Transitional = OOXML 
Strict + Transitional Features, correct?


No, Transitional features should have been deprecated since 2010. They 
are the non standard features inherited from legacy formats.


By the way, the Italian law - if respected - prohibits the use of 
OOXML by Public Administrations, as it does not respect many 
standardization parametres.


No I don't think so, given that Italian judges and the Italian judiciary 
system are using it 
. 


The Italian Ministry of Justice is distributing OOXML files in its 
website  (see at 
the bottom "REGISTRO delle richieste di accesso")
 


The fact that they are using OOXML is only a demonstration that they 
ignore the issue of interoperability. According to the currect version 
of AgID guidelines for the implementation of the digital administration 
code, a standard format must have several characteristics, which are not 
met by OOXML (transparent development, versioning, consistent behaviour 
across a software release).


By the way, OOXML is used by the majority of public administrations not 
only in Italy, but worldwide. But his doesn't make OOXML a standard, or 
an interoperable format. Microsoft has the largest lobby structure 
worldwide, and it shows.


(1) I don't agree that the increase in file size by embedding fonts 
would be a problem. Nowadays kids download 30 GB videogames over the 
internet.


Sure, but LibreOffice is available in areas where connectivity is not 
comparable with Italy (where connectivity is sub-optimal), and we must 
consider that we are a global project, and as such we cannot forget our 
members in those areas.


(2) Anyway, I am thinking at maintaining a git repository with 
substitute fonts. I had a look at them, and most of them seems to be 
released under a license that allows redistribution. It looks to me, for 
what I was able to see, that collecting those substitutes fonts and use 
mscorefonts for the (few) ones missing (like Wingdings) would provide a 
very solid base for interoperability on the font front. It may be a good 
base for a future LibreOffice official database of substitute fonts?


Absolutely yes. There is a large number of open source fonts, which can 
be distributed without issues.


(3) I thought more generally at handling them better. The first time I 
opened a document that used Calibri with LibreOffice, it was not at all 
obvious to me that the font name being displayed in italics by 
LibreOffice meant that the font was being substituted with another one. 
Maybe when a document uses fonts that are missing on the system, we can 
have LibreOffice displays a message box that shows which fonts are 
missing and which ones are being used as substitutes?


Interesting idea. We could discuss it with developers.

I have downloaded the form to exercise GDPR rights from the Italian GDPR 
authority 
, 
which is distributed in .docx format (another counter-example to you 
saying it's illegal).


I have opened it in LibreOffice Writer and here is the result:
The checkboxes are all messed up.


I have opened the same document, and the checkboxes are all at the right 
place (PDF attached). And I have not even used my Linux PC where I have 
configured font substitution, as Calibri would have been replaced by 
Carlito. I have used my Linux laptop.


Tomorrow I will check with LibreOffice on Windows and macOS.

Of course, the fact that the document renders in a different way is an 
issue. First of all, we should help Garante della 

Re: [libreoffice-marketing] Crowdfunding campaign for interoperability with Microsoft® Office

[Raffaele Mancuso]

Italo, I will focus here only on the major issues and postpone what I 
deem the minor ones to our future chat.



Thanks for the message. Ineroperability is definitely a topic worth of 
further efforts. I am adding some comments to your message, but the 
best option is probably to organize a chat after FOSDEM, the largest 
FOSS virtual event, planned for February 6/7 (too busy before).


Sure for the chat.


There have already been specific projects about interoperability, 
funded by different entities. There is a team in Hungary working full 
time for OOXML interoperability.


So, the idea is not new, and launching a different project seems less 
obvious than supporting existing ones.


Can't the new people we hire support and work together with the team in 
Hungary?




We know rather well the OOXML format [...]


Thanks for the video.

Although I fail to understand some points, for instance, how the fact 
that a document saved by MSO can be shorter/longer somewhat implies that 
the standard is being violated.


Although I understand how it hampers interoperability.



OOXML TRansitional, as a non standard bridge with legacy Office formats,


You say that the Transitional format is non standard.

Then what is the purpose of Part 4 of OOXML (ISO/IEC 29500-4:2016)?

It is titled "Transitional Features".

Is my understanding that, by and large, OOXML Transitional = OOXML 
Strict + Transitional Features, correct?



By the way, the Italian law - if respected - prohibits the use of 
OOXML by Public Administrations, as it does not respect many 
standardization parametres.


No I don't think so, given that Italian judges and the Italian judiciary 
system are using it 
.


The Italian Ministry of Justice is distributing OOXML files in its 
website  (see at 
the bottom "REGISTRO delle richieste di accesso")



Please see more on this later.

But if I ever get in trouble for using Microsoft Office, I hope the 
judge would accept a bargain that would have me write 1.000 times "I 
will not use Microsoft Office anymore" in Writer.


Although I may use Writer wonderful copy-paste capabilities to speed up 
the penance :)



LibreOffice has a font replacement table, which can be configured by 
the user, and ships with several fonts which are designed to be 
metrically compatible with Office fonts (for instance, the Liberation 
family).


Other metrically compatible fonts can be installed by the user 
(shipping all these fonts would dramatically increase the size of the 
installer).


(1) I don't agree that the increase in file size by embedding fonts 
would be a problem. Nowadays kids download 30 GB videogames over the 
internet.


(2) Anyway, I am thinking at maintaining a git repository with 
substitute fonts. I had a look at them, and most of them seems to be 
released under a license that allows redistribution. It looks to me, for 
what I was able to see, that collecting those substitutes fonts and use 
mscorefonts for the (few) ones missing (like Wingdings) would provide a 
very solid base for interoperability on the font front. It may be a good 
base for a future LibreOffice official database of substitute fonts?


(3) I thought more generally at handling them better. The first time I 
opened a document that used Calibri with LibreOffice, it was not at all 
obvious to me that the font name being displayed in italics by 
LibreOffice meant that the font was being substituted with another one. 
Maybe when a document uses fonts that are missing on the system, we can 
have LibreOffice displays a message box that shows which fonts are 
missing and which ones are being used as substitutes?






I have downloaded the form to exercise GDPR rights from the Italian GDPR 
authority 
, 
which is distributed in .docx format (another counter-example to you 
saying it's illegal).


I have opened it in LibreOffice Writer and here is the result:

The checkboxes are all messed up.

This is absolutely terrible: this is a legal document, and we must be 
absolutely crystal clear on what rights are being exercised and what the 
counterparty needs to do.


If I now check the first box, the counterparty will not know what he 
needs to do. And he would be right.


Here is the reference rendering:

I have opened 5 bugs and will open another one with this after checking 
whether I can re-distribute that document or else reproduce the bug in a 
plain one.


But we need to acknowledge that maybe bugs could be handled better by 
highly-paid programmers (with crowdfunded wages, or donations).



---


Italo, it is not clear at all what is our position on this.

In 

Re: [libreoffice-marketing] Crowdfunding campaign for interoperability with Microsoft® Office

[jean-francois]

Hi Michael,

Le 28/01/2021 à 20:01, Michael D. Setzer II a écrit :


Does your extension have a list of what fonts it requires to be installed
and would it be possible to create a script that would install the fonts
using dnf or apt or similar programs. Then create the table??


I could add the list in the description, yes.

Here's an excerpt from the config.xcu file that is the heart of the 
extension, showing only the font names. The SubstituteFont property 
specifies the font to install.


8< -

Arial
Arimo

Arial Narrow
Liberation Sans Narrow

Calibri
Carlito

Cambria
Caladea

Consolas
Inconsolata

Courier New
Cousine

Franklin Gothic
Libre Franklin

Georgia
Neuton

Gill Sans
Cabin

Impact
Oswald

Palatino
Crimson Pro

Perpetua
Lustria

Times New Roman
Tinos

Twentieth Century
Spartan

Verdana
PT Sans

- >8




Know they don't want to add the fonts to installer, but if a simple script
to download the fonts, and create the table was available..


Would be a useful addition, IMO, but still difficult to create to 
accomodate John Doe (multiple OSes, checking connectivity, errors, etc.)



Best,
--
Jean-Francois Nifenecker, Bordeaux


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Re: [libreoffice-marketing] Crowdfunding campaign for interoperability with Microsoft® Office

[jean-francois]

Hi Uwe,

Le 28/01/2021 à 19:32, Uwe Altmann a écrit :

Hi Jean-Francois

Am 28.01.21 um 18:40 schrieb jean-francois:

I have created an extension that creates the substitution table, as 
demonstrated in Italo's blog post, here:


Great idea - but the link directs to Italos post, not to your extension :-(



The link was not meant to direct to my extension which has not been 
published (yet). In fact, I wasn't sure whether an extension would help 
since the user needs to download the fonts separately.


Best,
--
Jean-Francois Nifenecker, Bordeaux


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Re: [libreoffice-marketing] Crowdfunding campaign for interoperability with Microsoft® Office

[jean-francois]

Hello!

jumping in the bandwagon wrt:

Le 28/01/2021 à 15:36, Marc Paré a écrit :


Why not take a page out of the Linux distributions where there could be
a function in the "Options -> Fonts" menu, where a user could download a
set of LibreOffice approved substitutions fonts. The function could then
offer to download from a TDF/LibreOffice repository and then add them to
the user's instance of LibreOffice, and adding them as substitutions in
the "Options ->Fonts" section.



I have created an extension that creates the substitution table, as 
demonstrated in Italo's blog post, here:


https://blog.documentfoundation.org/blog/2020/09/08/libreoffice-tt-replacing-microsoft-fonts/

Of course, the extension doesn't add the missing fonts. I support Marc's 
idea of a preset list of suggested replacements to be downloaded.


FWIW,
--
Jean-Francois Nifenecker, Bordeaux


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Re: [libreoffice-marketing] Crowdfunding campaign for interoperability with Microsoft® Office

[Uwe Altmann]

Hi Jean-Francois

Am 28.01.21 um 18:40 schrieb jean-francois:
> I have created an extension that creates the substitution table, as 
> demonstrated in Italo's blog post, here:

Great idea - but the link directs to Italos post, not to your extension :-(

-- 
Mit freundlichen Grüßen
Uwe Altmann

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Re: [libreoffice-marketing] Crowdfunding campaign for interoperability with Microsoft® Office

[Marc Paré]

Le 2021-01-26 à 15 h 26, Italo Vignoli a écrit :
> > Unfortunately LibreOffice is unable to open them without breaking their
> > layout (yes, I have all the Microsoft® fonts installed and configured
> > through fontconfig).
> You cannot legally use C-Fonts (Calibri, Cambria, Candara, Consolas,
> Constantia and Corbel). They are Microsoft proprietary, and their EULA
> does not allow to decouple them from Windows and Office. You should
> use Croscore fonts, and other fonts which emulate Microsoft fonts
> metrics.
>
> You can find some suggestions here:
> https://blog.documentfoundation.org/blog/2020/09/08/libreoffice-tt-replacing-microsoft-fonts/.
> > 3. I think we should handle font substitution better. For example, when
> > we open a file and fonts are missing, LO should display a window with a
> > list of missing fonts in the first column, the font that have been used
> > as a substitute in the second column, and whether the font used as
> > substitute is metric-compatible with the missing fonts (otherwise the
> > layout will break, see here
> > ) in the
> > third column. Moreover, LO should have a dataset of free
> > metric-compatible fonts (like Carlito to substitute for Calibri).
> LibreOffice has a font replacement table, which can be configured by
> the user, and ships with several fonts which are designed to be
> metrically compatible with Office fonts (for instance, the Liberation
> family).
>
> Other metrically compatible fonts can be installed by the user
> (shipping all these fonts would dramatically increase the size of the
> installer).
>
> Anyway, let's discuss your ideas after FOSDEM. Interoperability is a
> topic where we should definitely invest more time and efforts, and
> your ideas are worth a further investigation. I can give you some
> insights into the project, and we can start from there. 

Why not take a page out of the Linux distributions where there could be
a function in the "Options -> Fonts" menu, where a user could download a
set of LibreOffice approved substitutions fonts. The function could then
offer to download from a TDF/LibreOffice repository and then add them to
the user's instance of LibreOffice, and adding them as substitutions in
the "Options ->Fonts" section.

This would virtually not add any size to the installer, the user would
have an easy way of installing MSFont substitutions, and, LibreOffice
and its dev/QA/User teams would be able to vet appropriate opensource
substitution fonts for the repository. This would solve both the
concerns of the download size, and, would also solve the issue with
interoperability of fonts for MS docs (well, as best as it could be
done) ... that is, until the ODF becomes more of an accepted default.

Cheers,

Marc

-- 
Marc Paré
m...@marcpare.com
https://www.parEntreprise.com
parEntreprise.com Supports OpenDocument Formats (ODF)
parEntreprise.com Supports http://www.LibreOffice.org
LibreOffice Office Suite - 200 million users and growing!
Over 1,000 project developers with impeccable help from its user base.



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Re: [libreoffice-marketing] Crowdfunding campaign for interoperability with Microsoft® Office

[Italo Vignoli]

Hi Raffaele,

Thanks for the message. Interoperability is definitely a topic worth of 
further efforts. I am adding some comments to your message, but the best 
option is probably to organize a chat after FOSDEM, the largest FOSS 
virtual event, planned for February 6/7 (too busy before).


On 1/26/21 7:25 PM, Raffaele Mancuso wrote:

> Unfortunately LibreOffice is unable to open them without breaking their
> layout (yes, I have all the Microsoft® fonts installed and configured
> through fontconfig).
You cannot legally use C-Fonts (Calibri, Cambria, Candara, Consolas, 
Constantia and Corbel). They are Microsoft proprietary, and their EULA 
does not allow to decouple them from Windows and Office. You should use 
Croscore fonts, and other fonts which emulate Microsoft fonts metrics.


You can find some suggestions here: 
https://blog.documentfoundation.org/blog/2020/09/08/libreoffice-tt-replacing-microsoft-fonts/.


> I have submitted some bugs to the bug tracker so far, 3 of them
> regarding interoperability issues, but TDF is a small non-profit
> organization (11 people) and it's doing the best it could.
The Document Foundation has a staff of 11 people, but they are not 
developers. LibreOffice developers are way more than 11 (during the last 
quarter of 2020 they have been around 40 full time, plus volunteers, and 
some are working full time on OOXML interoperability).


You can have a better idea of the number of LibreOffice developers by 
looking at https://dashboard.documentfoundation.org.


> 7. Full compatibility seems to be achievable. For instance, I tried WPS®
> Office and did not have any compatibility problem so far (but I had
> compatibility issues with SoftMaker® Office 2021).
WPS is a Microsoft Office clone, reverse engineeered. They use OOXML as 
their default format (more on this format later), which makes their life 
easier but their files non interoperable (also, see later).


> I here propose to launch a crowdfunding campaign to implement full
> interoperability with Microsoft® Office formats. I can launch and manage
> the campaign if you wish.
There have already been specific projects about interoperability, funded 
by different entities. There is a team in Hungary working full time for 
OOXML interoperability.


So, the idea is not new, and launching a different project seems less 
obvious than supporting existing ones.


> 2.2. Document the Microsoft extensions to the OOXML(*) format (is the
> "plain" format fully-specified in ECMA-376
> 
, 


> in ISO/IEC 29500  and also here
> ?)
We know rather well the OOXML format, in all the available variants, 
which are all non standard and designed to kill interoperability. I have 
been personally involved in the standardization process at UNINFO back 
in 2006/2008, so I know rather well how the standard was accepted.


To be more precise, ECMA-376 has been rejected by ISO as a standard, 
because of the number of flaws, and this is the reason why Microsoft has 
developed OOXML, which has been approved after Geneva Ballot Resolution 
Meeting in two version: OOXML TRansitional, as a non standard bridge 
with legacy Office formats, and OOXML Strict, the real standard.


Strict was standardized based on Microsoft commitment to fully drop 
Transitional with Office 2010. The issue is that 100% of OOXML files 
generated by all versions of Office are still Transitional, as the 
format was never dropped, and is still the default format.


In addition, OOXML Transitional files are different according to the 
Office version, and change - without the changes being documented - on 
average every 3 months.


On the topic of standard formats you can have a look at this video in 
Italian: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WGWWVaEdHDE=2483s. Is one of 
the most updated, although I am currently working at a presentation for 
CERN employees, specifically focused on interoperability between 
LibreOffice and Office.


By the way, the Italian law - if respected - prohibits the use of OOXML 
by Public Administrations, as it does not respect many standardization 
parametres.


The interoperability issue is rather complex. I use Linux Mint and 
exchange documents with Office users since 2006 (OpenOffice 2.0) with 
negligible issues. Of course, results vary according to several factors 
including the document complexity and how the document is generated.


> 3. I think we should handle font substitution better. For example, when
> we open a file and fonts are missing, LO should display a window with a
> list of missing fonts in the first column, the font that have been used
> as a substitute in the second column, and whether the font used as
> substitute is metric-compatible with the missing fonts (otherwise the
> layout will break, see here
> ) in the
> 

[libreoffice-marketing] Crowdfunding campaign for interoperability with Microsoft® Office

[Raffaele Mancuso]

Hello,

My name is Raffaele Mancuso. I am a PhD student at the Polytechnic 
University of Milan.


I have decided to switch definitely to Ubuntu after some time I had it 
in double boot.


My co-workers use Microsoft® Office and their documents are technically 
pretty complete in terms of the features used.


Unfortunately LibreOffice is unable to open them without breaking their 
layout (yes, I have all the Microsoft® fonts installed and configured 
through fontconfig).


I have submitted some bugs to the bug tracker so far, 3 of them 
regarding interoperability issues, but TDF is a small non-profit 
organization (11 people) and it's doing the best it could.


-

1. Users reviewing LibreOffice releases have pointed out for some time 
interoperability problems with Microsoft® Office. See for example here 
.


2. As of today LibreOffice has 1268 bugs 
 
marked as FILEOPEN and 611 bugs 
 
marked as FILESAVE.


3. Interoperability problems are also seen by LibreOffice developers, 
see for example here  
where Figure 1 showing the new math import from PPTX is still broken 
with respect to the reference rendering in Figure 2 (for instance, 
formula 8,9,10 are not shown)


4. Microsoft® Office seems to hold about 40% of the market share for 
Office suites (see here 
), 
while LO has 200 million users. People using Microsoft® Office would 
more easily switch to LO if they have full-interoperability with the 
file format they have used to save all their files.


5. Firms in the LO ecosystem (like Collabora and CIB) seems to 
contribute to fix interoperability problems. See for example Release 
Notes for 7.0 here 
 and this blog 
. They probably have access to the OOXML 
documents of their clients and have the developers to fix the 
interoperability problems.


6. The LO website claims 
: "LibreOffice is 
compatible with a wide range of document formats such as Microsoft® Word 
(.doc, .docx), Excel (.xls, .xlsx), PowerPoint (.ppt, .pptx) and 
Publisher". It's important to deliver what we promise so as not to 
disappoint our new users.


7. Full compatibility seems to be achievable. For instance, I tried WPS® 
Office and did not have any compatibility problem so far (but I had 
compatibility issues with SoftMaker® Office 2021).


-

I here propose to launch a crowdfunding campaign to implement full 
interoperability with Microsoft® Office formats. I can launch and manage 
the campaign if you wish.


In particular, I thought about these steps:

1. Create a "Microsoft® Office team" with the purpose to create a 
dataset of Microsoft® Office documents with increasing complexity.


For example, the dataset may contain such files as:

* ./docx/1.Text.docx

*./docx/2.SimpleTable.docx

*./docx/3.RotatedTable.docx

*./docx/4.TableWithImages.docx

And so on. We would then update a wiki page with the files of the 
dataset that we support and the ones which we don't yet.


I can make a contribution here.

2. Hire some developers and pay them a good salary to implement 
interoperability, in particular:


2.1. Submit patches to LO that improve interoperability with Microsoft® 
Office formats


2.2. Document the Microsoft extensions to the OOXML(*) format (is the 
"plain" format fully-specified in ECMA-376 
, 
in ISO/IEC 29500  and also here 
?)


3. I think we should handle font substitution better. For example, when 
we open a file and fonts are missing, LO should display a window with a 
list of missing fonts in the first column, the font that have been used 
as a substitute in the second column, and whether the font used as 
substitute is metric-compatible with the missing fonts (otherwise the 
layout will break, see here