The text world is in front of 2 options of ODF and Open XML

Supporters of open text formats claim that both are designed for the same purpose, so only one. The approval of Microsoft standards believes that they have different purposes, and exist in parallel to meet the diverse needs of users.

In 2006, the open text format Open Document Format (ODF) was adopted by the International Standards Organization (ISO). This standard is designed to represent the functionality of OpenOffice.org products, with the original name being 'Open Office XML Format'. ODF is not set to describe content that already exists in available documents. It is only designed to reflect the information generated by an application. Microsoft Office users can also download and install a free supplement from the open source software community to convert text to ODF. Performance business applications like Corel, Koffice, ABIWord . are also supporting ODF.

In December 2006, Microsoft's Open XML format (fully called Ecma Office Open XML, in which Ecma is the abbreviation of the European Computer Manufacturers Association, an independent organization created by European computer firms) It is also adopted as an international standard and can be used by any developer, including Microsoft's competitors. It allows to use any application or program to read text.

The market for performance applications is very popular with this format. Open source software company Novell introduced a version of OpenOffice, which can read and write Open XML formats. Corel will also support it in WordPerfect in 2007. Microsoft is promoting a tool to help users of Office 2000, Office XP and Office 2003 be able to read and write Open XML. Its new Office 2007 suite uses Open XML as its default data format. This rapid and broad acceptance reflects the wishes of software vendors and users in storing documents with open data formats.

Breed and other

The topic of standardizing ODF and Open XML has become a fierce debate about the unique features of each format. The pro-ODF school affirmed that Open XML and ODF were designed for the same purpose, so only one format existed. The supporters of Open XML, along with most other users, believe that Open XML and ODF are born for different purposes, and will exist in parallel to meet the diverse needs of users (also like PDF, RTF, HTML and lots of text and other data formats).

In fact, Ecma Office Open XML and Open Document Format have many similarities in the standardization process. Both have to go through a very long review process by many groups from different companies. Both originate from a software product: ODF from OpenOffice and Open XML from .doc, .xls, and .ppt file formats of the old Office version.

However, unlike ODF is not able to describe the content of pre-existing documents, Open XML is optimized with the level of accuracy and detail needed to convey thousands of data that existed from before, including the complete specification for spreadsheet formulas and other features lacking in ODF. Open XML also offers a unique ability to store data languages ​​according to users' preferences in text format. Organizations and companies can use Open XML to report information from other applications and systems without having to switch programming languages ​​first. This capability is an important innovation that helps developers in the process of bringing real-time commercial information to their texts, or helping those who need to assign 'tags' to the system. separately classified to increase understanding of text content.

A format is not enough

Open text formats have a lot of meaning to users, and a standard cannot fulfill the list of needs that arise in countless instances where text is created and used.

The reality of using software today shows the existence of many data formats in order to satisfy the diversity of needs in software applications, including formats for image and text data. drafting, archiving, spreadsheets, page layout, email, charts . For example, PDF, Microsoft Office Excel and Microsoft Project are data sharing programs, and can describe information believe from a specific job at any time. But merging all of these formats into one text would be absurd because the data in each of them was created with very different purposes. PDF documents for this application will be intended to help display the final version of the information. Excel can be used to perform data analysis, which PDF is not suitable for. Project data includes information about tasks and sources of information that can be drafted by project developers, but is not suitable for general analysis and distribution in the final version. In summary, combining all three of the above text formats will be impractical.

Microsoft supports both

The advantage of open data formats is the ease of supporting each other. Microsoft has released a set of adaptive tools, enabling support for Open XML in Office 2000, XP and 2003. They and many other software vendors are providing free additional programs for Microsoft Office to save. Store text using PDF format. Free and open source converters to support ODF in Microsoft Office are also available at sourceforge.net. Users of Office XP, 2003 or 2007 can easily install ODF support for their Office.

In addition to conversion tools installed on each desktop, Microsoft also provides tools for analyzing and moving large volumes of text. Office Migration Planning Manager includes a file scanning and conversion tool, which helps determine the format of the text being used and makes the right decision about which file to convert to Open XML. The Office Resource Kit also includes instructions for deploying and managing text formats. File converters in Office can test text items into Open XML format for organizations seeking to relocate documents to an extended environment.

Advantages of Open XML

This format creates a convergence point between structured and unstructured information in the text. It is designed to control text content, making data more secure, easier to circulate and suitable for the future. Open XML can convert 100% of existing content in current Microsoft Office binary data formats to open, XML-based data. This capability allows companies to convert open data formats without having to abandon the adaptability or accuracy of existing documents and ensure that information is not lost or destroyed.

Mr. Nguyen Viet Hai, Director of EDT, a company specializing in software application development and training in Microsoft, said: " The role of text format in information exchange is extremely important at the time. Our connectivity will be improved when the text format is shared between applications and platforms, with Open XML, users around the world can use Office as a development platform. new solutions for businesses, I personally appreciate the usability and efficiency that this format brings ".

' Large businesses around the world are looking for ways to adapt to the pressure of coordinating transnational workforce and at the same time maintaining compliance with a growing security and legal environment. asked highly, 'said Peter Dougherty, CEO of Certeon Inc. (USA), said. 'We consider Office Open XML to be a revolutionary way to improve productivity while also complying with other practical requirements.'

Jochen Klipfel, CEO of ITVT GmbH (Germany), judged: " The introduction of Open XML format is the next logical development on the path of building service-oriented architectures. All applications All XML is open and no business turns into an individual island, Open XML allows us to develop and integrate our solutions into our customers' business processes faster than ever, and create bridges between distributed data sources of the enterprise ".

According to Fred Mueller, vice president of Mathsoft Engineering & Education, the approval of Open XML according to ECMA criteria has opened new doors for information and text integration.