Microsoft Opens up the Office Platform

In the fight against the inroads made into its traditional territory by open source solutions, Microsoft has poured consistent efforts in fending off Open Office and its default file format Open Document Format. But ratifying Open XML (from Office 2007 and Office 2008) as an ISO standard is just half the work, and the Redmond company needs to boost the Office System's interoperability level. Back in February 2008, Microsoft indicating that it was jumping aboard the interoperability back wagon delivering a change in its strategy to technology and business practices. As a direct result of that milestone, at the end of the past week, additional documentation for Office protocols and file formats were made public.

"Microsoft is implementing four new interoperability principles and corresponding actions across its high-volume business products: (1) ensuring open connections; (2) promoting data portability; (3) enhancing support for industry standards; and (4) fostering more open engagement with customers and the industry, including open source communities," the Redmond giant stated.

Via the Microsoft Office File Formats Documentation, the company is offering the technical specifications associated with the proprietary standards which are integrated by default into Office 2007. The Office Protocol Documentation is a resource designed to permit third-party solution to play nice with Office through Microsoft's proprietary protocols.

But as a part of the interoperability initiative, the company is also providing additional protocol documentation, on top of what it is offering for the Office Suite. Protocol resources are available for Microsoft Exchange Server 2007, SharePoint Products and Technologies, and Microsoft SQL Server.

"The Microsoft SQL Server protocol documentation provides technical specifications for Microsoft proprietary protocols that are implemented and used in Microsoft SQL Server 2008. The Microsoft SharePoint Products and Technologies protocol documentation provides technical specifications for Microsoft proprietary protocols that are implemented and used in SharePoint Products and Technologies. The Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 Protocol technical documentation set provides technical specifications for Microsoft protocols, and Microsoft extensions to industry-standard or other published protocols that are implemented and used in Microsoft Exchange Server 2007," Microsoft stated.