[Gllug] Best format, for everyone, for saving documents.

[Jason Clifford]

On Sun, 15 Jun 2003, Colin Murphy wrote:

> Imagine, if you will, a world where all of the world's desktop users try to 
> pull together, be they Linux or Microsoft. Which document format should 
> everyone be using to make sure that the recipient can use the document with 
> the minimum of fuss, regardless of the system they are using?
> 
> In the real world Microsoft users are going to say .doc files, obviously. 
> StarOffice seems to be guilty of the same crime by defaulting to .sdx. I 
> appreciate that .sdx is an Open format but will a Microsoft product ever read 
> such a file without fuss?  
> 
> Is there another, happier, more middle ground format to use?  
> 
> Is there any reason why we couldn't all just start using RTF?

You could also ask why not use ASCII.

The same problem exists for both - that users will insist upon embedding 
objects into their document that require some form of extended document 
format.

Some form of XML is probably best for cross platform compatibility - 
except that companies insist upon using compression and closed binary 
extensions.

Jason Clifford
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