Google adds ODF to its online office moves

. . . keeping an eye on the penguin

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Jul. 13, 2006

To Google's recent purchase of Writely, a Web-based word processor; the creation of Google Spreadsheet; and the release of Google Calendar, you can now add impending broad support for the ODF (Open Document Format) to Google's online office moves.

During the 4th of July week, Google quietly joined the ODF Alliance. The Alliance seeks to promote and advance the use of ODF. The ODF's membership already included non-profit groups and government agencies, as well as major corporate ODF backers such as IBM and Sun Microsystems Inc.

ODF Alliance head Marino Marcich says that "We really can't comment on what Google's plans are regarding ODF, but the Alliance is certainly pleased that they have come on board. There has been quite a bit of positive activity in the ODF world of late (Belgium, France, Denmark) and all of this points to ODF's growing momentum around the globe."

Google has not yet announced that it has joined the Alliance. Calls to Google officials were not returned.

Still, it seems logical that Google could use a common and open-standard for all of its users' document creation needs. And, Writely already supports ODF.

Will Rodger, director of public policy for OSAIA (Open Source and Industry Alliance), a Washington, DC-based industry group that represents the interests of open-source developers and users, said that while he couldn't talk about Google's recent move specifically, he thought that Google's support for ODF could only serve the Internet and its users well.

"The Internet has flourished in large part because no one controls the underlying technologies. That lack of control means that new entrants have a much better chance at competing in the online world than they would otherwise," Rodger said.

"Yet," he continued, "high-tech companies are plumbing the depths of the Web at a moment when lines between the proprietary desktop and non-proprietary network are blurring. It only makes sense that they would want a file format that is as open as the Net itself. ODF is that file format."

-- Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols

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