UK forces Microsoft to adopt Open Documents Format

Posted on Thursday, April 02 2015 @ 11:54 CEST by Thomas De Maesschalck
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IT Pro Portal informs us Microsoft will soon adopt the Open Documents Format (ODF) in Office 365 due to legal pressure from the UK government. The goal here is to open up the office productivity market so consumers and businesses are no longer boxed into Microsoft's ecosystem.

Microsoft long refused to adopt the format, claiming it doesn't perform well, but has now made a sudden U-turn. It's unknown whether this update will be available worldwide or exclusively in the UK.
Typically, Microsoft Office documents can only be opened with a few applications. Google Docs has a conversion tool for changing the format, but other productivity suites like Appleā€™s iWork and LibreOffice cannot utilise Office documents.

This new government victory forces Microsoft to enable users outside the Office ecosystem to download, view and edit documents without owning Office or subscribing to Office 365.


About the Author

Thomas De Maesschalck

Thomas has been messing with computer since early childhood and firmly believes the Internet is the best thing since sliced bread. Enjoys playing with new tech, is fascinated by science, and passionate about financial markets. When not behind a computer, he can be found with running shoes on or lifting heavy weights in the weight room.



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