Open file formats

[Widowmaker327]

microsoft certainly would not have grown so large had this been so, which is why it isnt so http://www.pcmech.com/ubb/smile.gif regardless of this crazy legal ****

[bob]

If all information about file formats were open source I beleive Microsoft could avoid some sanctions.

This idea would apply to all software makers.

All that is needed is the ability to read and use the information in files (like word documents, excell, etc) from any like editors.

One problem with M$ is you cant even read files with a lower version that were made by a higher version of the same product.

The format should not be a trade secert.

Any comments?

[Toaster]

Welp, you hit the nail on the head here.
It`s Micky$oft`s way to corner the market and end up in court.
Most other software makers at least offer backwards compatability and many offer cross platform reading/editing.
Micky$oft however, decided to go it alone and force users to upgrade by making their apps incompatible with earlier versions.
This was the Apple way and this is why Apple got itself into the corner they did.
Open source and Micky$oft are 2 words that don`t work together, by now, I thought most users were aware of this.