OpenOffice 2.0 released
by Volker Weber
Beginning with version 2.0 OpenOffice.org uses the open standard OASIS OpenDocument XML format as the default file format. The OASIS OpenDocument format is a vendor and implementation independent file format, and thus guarantees freedom and independence. In addition to OpenOffice.org itself, the open source office suite KOffice as well as OpenOffice.org derivatives like the StarOffice software support the OASIS OpenDocument file format. The OASIS OpenDocument file format is also one of the file formats recommended by the European Commission.
I wish Microsoft would join and (a) provide file filters for OpenDocument and (b) make it selectable as the default. People could collaborate around a unified file format, and vendors would only compete on implementation. In this scenario Microsoft would look like a much better option than today. I have Word on my Mac, but some of the people I work with, don't want .DOC files. Give me OpenDocument and we will be talking the same dialect.
