Microsoft slams IBM, Open Document Format

In the battle for desktop supremacy, there can only be one victor. That's why, despite the fact that they both aim to bring interoperability to desktop productivity software, IBM's Open Document Format and Microsoft's Office Open XML format won't ever be able to get along. The latest news on the format front comes from a spokesperson for Microsoft, who outright accuses IBM of unfairly hampering the progress of Open Office XML and slowing down its ratification as a standard. "Microsoft has determined that it is important to shine a bright light on IBM's activities that will have a negative impact on the IT industry and customers, including taking concrete steps to prevent customer choice, engaging in hypocrisy, and working against the industry and against customer needs...Microsoft will continue to be public in identifying the ways that IBM is trying to prevent customer choice."

For more on Microsoft's comments:
- see this Ars Technica article