Open XML trumps ODF in document format fight, consulting firm says [Computerworld]

A few quick comments on this article:

1. Burton Group does not do -- and has never done -- "vendor-sponsored" writing. No vendor-funded "white papers", no thinly-veiled pay-to-play marketing pieces. The vast majority of Burton Group customers are large end-user enterprises -- commercial, government, and higher ed (i.e., not software vendors) -- and Burton Group has a nearly 20-year track record of vendor-neutral objectivity.

2. The content Eric Lai references that I'm going to present Wednesday (and also at the February, 2008 Office Developer Conference) is precisely the same presentation you'd see if Guy Creese or I were asked to present on this topic at, e.g., Lotusphere; Burton Group is non-modal...

3. Burton Group's mission includes catalyzing industry debate about pivotal topics, and attempting to get IT types to focus more on the substantive issues than the politics, marketing, etc. Sometimes, as in this case, that can be provocative, but that's part of trying to foster constructive debate about issues that matter. On that note, BTW, you may want to check out Catalyst 2008, where the rapidly-evolving ODF/OOXML debate will be on the agenda.

4. For now, please consider reading the overview in question, and share your impressions...

Excerpt from the Computerworld article:

The OpenDocument Format (ODF) remains "more of an anti-Microsoft political statement than an objective technology selection" by users, according to a report released Monday by analysts at Burton Group, who recommend that companies adopt Microsoft Corp.'s Office Open XML document format whether or not it is approved as an ISO standard next month.

Midvale, Utah-based Burton Group said that the report was neither commissioned nor paid for by Microsoft. However, Burton analyst Peter O'Kelly, one of the report's co-authors, is scheduled to make a presentation at an Open XML press briefing that Microsoft plans to hold in the Seattle area on Wednesday. Also speaking will be multiple Microsoft executives involved in the Open XML standards-ratification effort.

Open XML trumps ODF in document format fight, consulting firm says