Linspire releases Open XML translator

"so that files saved in the Microsoft-created Open XML format can be opened by OpenOffice.org users"

How?

I followed the link to the translator project. It looks like an Add-in for MSOffice. So what exactly is Linspire making available?

Am I missing something obvious here?

Quoting:Am I missing something obvious here?

Yes, you are missing one obvious thing. You are missing that this article is useless. The OOXML-ODF conversion project has been, so far, NOTHING but a publicity stunt by MS and all its lackeys.

>Am I missing something obvious here?

Nothing obvious. The pieces at the sourceforge site are for OOXML->ODF conversion, not the other way. As such, they are for MS-Office.

At the Linspire site, the announce says that conversions are now incorporated in the latest freespire and linspire, but it's not clear to me what that means.

It means Mr. Carmony is happy with his big sack of Microsoft money, and getting to play with the big boys at long last.

> At the Linspire site, the announce says that conversions are now incorporated in the latest freespire and linspire, but it's not clear to me what that means.

I guess if someone gives me an OpenXML document, I'm supposed to email them the MSWord plugin. That must be what they meant by calling it "bi-directional".

>That must be what they meant by calling it "bi-directional".

Umm...or it could mean that bi-directional conversion is available.

Speculation is...well, speculation.

> Umm...or it could mean that bi-directional conversion is available.

Right. My posts should probably come with a sarcasm alert.

When a company issues a press release that is devoid of content, it's kind of like waving a big flag and yelling "We've got nothing!"

Oh dino, facts are so boring, and not conducive to lively speculation.

One fact is clear- MS is not budging on OOXML come hell, high water, common sense, or anything.

>MS is not budging

MS does not like to budge. Ever.

the ineresting thing about the files is they are all Microsft installers. .exe and .msi, which means they are for installing a Microsoft system.

They can only be available as addins to MS Office and or OO.o for Windows. Interesting. They won't install or run on Linux, except possibly under WINE.

> They can only be available as addins to MS Office and or OO.o for Windows.

Confusing, isn't it?

It's like a hybrid cross between peas and corn that results in peas-on-the-cob. You take a vegetable that nobody wants anyway, and then make it harder to eat.