Microsoft Establishes Open XML Formats Developer Group

A community-driven initiative, the Open XML Formats Developer Group, has been established to support the development of Microsoft's Open XML formats. This group aims to serve as a safe space for developers to work with the new formats, despite the fact that their complete schemas are not yet available due to ongoing standardization efforts. To fill this gap, the group will share code samples, white papers, and other resources to facilitate the development process.

Key Takeaways:

• The Open XML Formats Developer Group has 40 founders, including Apple, BP, Intel, Toshiba, and the Florida House of Representatives, as well as several smaller companies.
• The group's primary goal is to provide developers with resources and support to work with the Open XML formats, which will eventually become an ECMA standard.
• The group will share code samples, white papers, workspace projects, and links to other resources to aid in the development process.
• As the standardization process advances, the group plans to share best practices among its members.
• Microsoft has also joined the INCITS committee to influence the standardization of the OpenDocument format, a rival to Open XML.
• Notable members of the Open XML Formats Developer Group include Apple, BP, Intel, Toshiba, and several prominent companies, in addition to several smaller companies.

Statistics:

• 40: The number of founders in the Open XML Formats Developer Group.
• 6: The number of companies in the ECMA technical committee, including Apple, BP, Intel, and Toshiba.
• 1 year: The estimated time frame for the completion of the standardization process for Open XML formats.
• 5: The number of companies in the INCITS committee, including Sun, IBM, and several smaller companies.

Sources:

• "Sun-spawned IBM-backed OpenDocument Format for Office Applications"
• "International Committee for Technology Standards (INCITS)"
• "Open XML developer group established - open source?" *www.openxmldeveloper.org*