New York nears decision on ODF vs OOXML

December 20, 2007 —

Officials in New York are nearing decision-making time about which XML-based
office document format, ODF or OOXML, that state will use across the IT systems
of its agencies as the debate over a universal file format continues.

According to the state's Web site, the public
comment period about whether the state should mandate a document format
is scheduled to end Dec. 28. At that point officials will review all comments
and decide which course of action to take.

In August, the state legislature requested that New York Chief Information
Officer and Director of the Office for Technology Melodie Mayberry-Stewart gather
information and input from people who would be affected about how the state
should approach access, creation and maintenance of electronic documents in
a way that achieves, among other things, vendor neutrality and interoperability.

A document
posted to the state Web site outlines questions users should consider when debating
whether ODF or OOXML would be a better fit for New York government agencies.
They have until 5 p.m. EST on Dec. 28 to make their comments, which should be
sent electronically to the state technology office's Principal Attorney Darlene
Van Sickle via e-mail to erecords-study@oft.state.ny.us

In addition to New York, other states, including Massachusetts, Minnesota and
Texas, have eyed mandating one document file format across their IT systems.

The debate over whether ODF (Open Document Format for XML) or OOXML (Open XML)
should be the universal file format for office documents apparently will remain
heated in 2008 after a stormy year for those on both sides.

In September, the International Organization for Standardization rejected an
attempt by Microsoft to use another standards body, Ecma International, to fast-track
OOXML through the standards process. Complaints poured in that Microsoft placed
people sympathetic to its cause in key voting positions toward the end of the
process in an attempt to swing the vote in its favor.

The next month a group designed to promote ODF, the OpenDocument Foundation,
withdrew support of ODF in favor of CDF (Compound Document Format). As 2007
closes, companies such as IBM, Sun Microsystems and Google continue to promote
ODF, while Microsoft remains the most visible supporter of OOXML.

IDG News Service