Microsoft opens up on file styles

From http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/5153350.stm

"Microsoft said it started building the software tools in response to requests from government customers..."

"...Before now, Microsoft and the technology world have chosen to go their own ways. The new initiative ends some of this diversity and will make it possible for anyone using programs in the Office software suite to save files in more so-called "open" formats. Specifically, the tools will make it possible to save and work with files using the Open Document format - a specification developed by the open source community as an alternative to the proprietary formats used by large software firms."