Libreoffice explodes against Microsoft and accuses him of using Office to block competition

Libreoffice He strengthened his battle with Microsoft and his business practice. A few weeks after the warning about the true cost of migration in Windows 11, the community project returns to burden on a topic that perfectly dominates. Document fund Accused Microsoft of using complex file formats Create dependence on the office.

IN Publishing your blogThe TDF fund disclosed Microsoft tactics to keep users of their office package blockedThe field according to Libreoffice, Microsoft 365 uses XML “excessively complex” schemes as a strategy for creating technological dependence and preventing compatibility.

The charge refers to The office is open XML (OOXML), a file format used in Word, Excel and PowerPoint since 2006. Libreoffice indicates that this Documents .docx, .xlsx and .pptx They use this format, in fact are ZIP files with several XML levels. These layers are loaded Tags are hard to interpretField

“This artificial complexity is characterized by a deeply embedded structure of the label with excessive abstraction, dozens or even hundreds of optional or overloaded elements, unintigned agreements on nomance, widespread use of expansion points and substitution values, multiple imports of names and hierarchy types, as well as distorting documentation.”

According to Libreoffice, the use of this format is Blocking strategy introduced to maintain market controlThe situation is compared with the railway system in which the rails are available, but the train manufacturer imposes its control system.

“Theoretically, anyone can build a train compatible with the tracks, but the specifications of the management system are so complex that only the main train manufacturer can offer railway services,” says Libraoffis.

Microsoft dominates the market using dirty tactics in the office, accuses Libreoffice

It is worth noting that OOXML signs are not newThe field of both office developers and the personality of the free software scene were loaded against Microsoft for making it difficult to work. A few years ago, Richard Stallman published an essay in which he criticizes the closed format of the archives of words and their impact on safety, confidentiality and compatibility with other applications.

“It hurts us when someone suggests that we use the word and send us, or ask us to send them, documents in this format. Some people publish documents in this format. Some organizations will accept only documents in this format: I heard that there are people who cannot imagine work, because the curriculum should send in the format of the word. Even sometimes government objects use this, which is really.

Accusations of Libreoffice arrive at The key moment when several countries turned away from MicrosoftThe technological sovereignty field is the weight of the city for cities in Germany, Denmark and Sweden to migrate to Linux. Governments do not want to depend on Microsoft to manage their data and look for open source solutions.