Microsoft seeks to divide and rule
Microsoft pans to release a competitive ‘open’ data format for its Office suite to comply with the requirements of Massachusetts, but why doesn’t the software giant just adopt the Open Document Format (ODF) standard that is already there? The answer is simple, divide and rule!
The state of Massachusetts USA has decreed that all state documents must be in an open format, whereby the documents must be easily transported between office applications from different software providers. Microsoft however makes most of its massive profits from its Office suite, which effectively fuels the company’s ability to dominate other areas that it would otherwise be out priced or out performed by other suppliers.
The ideas of an open format that allows users to choose applications from the most competitive provider would mean that Microsoft would invariable and rapidly begin to lose market share – and more importantly money!
By creating its own ‘Open XML’ format Microsoft will create a situation where there will be two incompatible and competing formats, thus creating confusion, uncertainty and doubt in the market. What happens when someone is uncertain of whet to change to? – they don’t change. The result is simple, Microsoft keeps its monopoly position and the Open Document Format becomes a strange ‘also-ran’ in the computer world.
The only way the future of ODF can be assured is if major government organisations compel their users to implement it. So far only the state of Massachusetts USA has shown any signs of doing that.
The state of Massachusetts USA has decreed that all state documents must be in an open format, whereby the documents must be easily transported between office applications from different software providers. Microsoft however makes most of its massive profits from its Office suite, which effectively fuels the company’s ability to dominate other areas that it would otherwise be out priced or out performed by other suppliers.
The ideas of an open format that allows users to choose applications from the most competitive provider would mean that Microsoft would invariable and rapidly begin to lose market share – and more importantly money!
By creating its own ‘Open XML’ format Microsoft will create a situation where there will be two incompatible and competing formats, thus creating confusion, uncertainty and doubt in the market. What happens when someone is uncertain of whet to change to? – they don’t change. The result is simple, Microsoft keeps its monopoly position and the Open Document Format becomes a strange ‘also-ran’ in the computer world.
The only way the future of ODF can be assured is if major government organisations compel their users to implement it. So far only the state of Massachusetts USA has shown any signs of doing that.
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