Microsoft announced the release of an open source translator between Chinese Unified Office Format Ecma Open XML File Formats. Microsoft Office users can download the translator as its add-ins for free.
Microsoft also provides beta release of translation tools for Windows XP, Microsoft Office Excel and Microsoft Office PowerPoint.
Unified Office Format is being developed in support with Chinese software development companies. It will be also tested by Chinese governmental and public customers before release. The translator will be provided as open source software and will be available for free.
"Our customers have told us their data needs can't be addressed by a one- format or one-standard-fits-all approach,"Â said Jean Paoli, general manager of Interoperability and XML Architecture at Microsoft. "Everyone wants to use their data in slightly different ways. That's why we are enabling customers to pick from whatever format they want to use with their Office documents - whether it's ODF, Open XML, PDF, or new standards like UOF."Â
But let me remind you, that a while ago Microsoft was blaming open source software developers for violating its patents, and now it is going to release an open source translator.
"On the one hand, Microsoft is saying 'Nice standard you've got there', while on the other hand, warning 'implement it if you dare, but only for a price'," noted Andrew Updegrove, an advocate for open technology standards and attorney with Gesmer Updegrove LLC.
So what is Microsoft strategy: is it going to charge users for its patents, who download and use open source software for free?
By Ruzan Harutyunyan for HULIQ
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