Google doesn't want Microsoft's OOXML to be standard

Google has been bashing Microsoft quite a bit these days. A few days back it was with the Yahoo bid and today its about Microsoft's request to ISO to make OOXML format a standard. For people who haven't heard about OOXML (Office Open XML), its Microsoft's new XML-based format used across Microsoft Office 2007 which replaces Microsoft's earlier binary format. Microsoft has been trying to make OOXML as a standard through ISO, but last time the draft text was not approved by the ISO committee and Microsoft has resubmitted the draft.

Google at its blog mentions that ODF (Open Document Format) is already a standard and Google supports this format. ODF is used across a host of products including Open Office, KOffice, IBM Lotus Symphony and Google Docs but is not supported in Microsoft Office 2007. IBM has shown open criticism earlier regarding OOXML and is very much behind ODF. Sun Microsystems originally developed the ODF format and has also been lobbying against OOXML or transition from OOXML to ODF. The deadline for the vote from the ISO members for making OOXML as a standard is March 30th and Google hopes there is unification of OOXML to ODF.

There are also others who are running a campaign against OOXML becoming a standard. These people have mentioned various problems with OOXML and have been lobbying that ODF should be the standard for documents. Even Microsoft somewhat agreed that there are problems with OOXML, but thinks those can be resolved. Microsoft could easily add a filter to add ODF documents and still keep the docx as default and end the matter. I know Microsoft can lobby and make OOXML, but it would be better for everyone, if Microsoft added ODF to Office 2007 SP2.