The Microsoft Office news hinted at earlier is in and it is definitely pretty important, via Channel 9:

Word, Excel, and Powerpoint will get a new file format all based on XML. The extensions will change from .DOC, .XLS, .PPT to .DOCX, .XLSX, .PPTX. The new file format is actually enclosed in a ZIP file. Change the extension name to .ZIP and you’ll be able to double-click and get access to all the pieces of the new format (Brian in his demo shows what it looks like).

I left my immediate response and this is without actually looking at the format: Excellent!. Go check out the Channel 9 video and learn more from Brian Jones, program manager on the Word Team who also has a blog and writes:

Open Format: These formats use XML and ZIP, and they will be fully documented. Anyone will be able to get the full specs on the formats and there will be a royalty free license for anyone that wants to work with the files.

Check out the official name: Microsoft Office Open XML Formats. Open file format and … Microsoft? That’s what they are saying!

Did this post make you go hmm?

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