Office 12 to use XML for file formats

[savar]

I didn't see this posted anywhere else on MR, but I'm shocked because this is big news:

http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20050602-4962.html

Check out the comment from Senior VP Steven Sinofsky:

The short answer is because these capabilities -- improved file and data management, improved interoperability, and a published file-format specification -- are exactly what customers have asked us for.

The slightly longer answer is what these capabilities do for our customers. For example, in the area of interoperability, the new format enables the building of archives of documents that can be used without Office code if required... So we're seeing a way to make Office more compelling to customers. Interoperability also means huge benefits to the larger software industry, since it enables other vendors to tap into Office documents and file formats, and have information contained in Office files flow more easily to and from third-party systems.

Cool stuff, really.

 

[mkrishnan]

Yeah, I just saw it too, and just made a post about it in one of the "when will the next Office come out?" threads. This is the first time I have seen an article state when MS plans to release the next Windows version of Office...guess that probably means there might be a Mac Office update in 07-ish timeframe...