Open XML Basics

Ecma Office Open XML ("Open XML") is an international, open standard for word-processing documents, presentations, and spreadsheets that can be freely implemented by multiple applications on multiple platforms. Open XML is currently in the process of obtaining ratification as a global standard with the ISO (International Standards Organization).

Microsoft Office (2007, 2003, XP, 2000), OpenOffice Novell Edition, open-source project Gnumeric, Neo-Office 2.1, and PalmOS (Dataviz) already support Open XML. Corel has announced Open XML support for WordPerfect 2007 and developers worldwide are building solutions using Open XML.

Ongoing Ratification

Open XML was standardized by Ecma International, a Geneva-based standards organization, on December 7, 2006. It has been submitted to the International Organization for Standardization / International Electrotechnical Commission (ISO/IEC) for further ratification. As part of the ISO/IEC standardization process Open XML has moved through a contradictions phase, a ballot phase, and is now in the ballot resolution phase. The ISO/IEC has scheduled a ballot resolution meeting on February 25th-29th, 2008 in Geneva, to discuss comments received during the ballot phase and proposed dispositions from Ecma International.

Ecma International

The work to standardize Open XML is being carried out by Ecma International via its Technical Committee 45 (TC45), which includes representatives from Apple, Barclays Capital, BP, The British Library, Essilor, Intel, Microsoft, NextPage, Novell, Statoil, Toshiba, and the U.S. Library of Congress.

Read this article for a quick introduction to document standards and Open XML.

Hear what Ecma has to say about Open XML.