| Linspire to help develop ODF-OpenXML translators |
Jul. 02, 2007
 Linspire announced today that it will join development efforts to increase the interoperability between the Open Document Format (ODF) and Microsoft's Open XML, thus improving the ability of OpenOffice.org users to work with the Office Open XML format.
San Diego, Calif-based Linspire signed a licensing deal on June 13 with Microsoft, under which Linspire will get voice-enabled instant messaging, Windows Media 10 CODECs, and TrueType font technologies from Microsoft for its Linux distribution. In exchange, Microsoft will offer protection to Linspire customers against possible violations of Microsoft patents by Linux, Linspire said.
Linspire is joining with others who have signed on to this effort, including Novell and Xandros, to create bi-directional open source translators for word processing, spreadsheets, and presentations between ODF and Open XML, a Linspire spokesperson said.
Linspire says it expects all future releases of Linspire and Freespire to include the bi-directional translators between ODF and Open XML. As a result, end users of Microsoft Office and OpenOffice.org will be able to more easily share files, as documents will better maintain consistent formats, formulas, and style templates across the two office productivity suites, according to the company.
"For Linux to gain acceptance beyond the server, it must interoperate within the broader desktop computing ecosystem. Interoperability with Microsoft Office documents is critical," Linspire CEO Kevin Carmony said in a statement.
More information about the open source Open XML/ODF Translator project can be obtained here.
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