More than any technical or political reason, the biggest reason we should hope that Microsoft’s new format, OOXML, is not standardized is simply that it is our best hope for finally achieving one standard document format.

For some time, the debate over OOXML has been going on. A while ago it was put on the fast track ISO approval process. Before it could become a standard, though, several countries filed complaints, stalling approval until those complaints can be resolved or discarded.

Most of the arguments thrown around have focused on the technical aspects and flaws of OOXML. The truth is, though, that the sooner everyone can standardize on a single format the better, and OOXML’s failure to become an ISO standard would be the fastest way to that.

Recently I was caught with three versions of a document to which I needed to make some small changes. I had a printed version, a version saved out of Microsoft Office 2007 (for the record, I made that document on someone else’s computer), and a version saved in the Open Document format (ODF). Unfortunately, where I was, I only had access to Microsoft Office 2003 and no ability to install software. In the end, I had to retype the document off of the printed version. This simply should not be necessary. If there was a single, universally supported document format, this problem would not have occurred. Really, a standard document format is in everyone’s interest, except possibly Microsoft’s.

So how would OOXML’s failiure as a standard lead to a single standard? Microsoft has already announced moves to incorporate ODF into future versions of Office. This is most likely a saftey net, in case OOXML is defeated. This certainly suggests that, if OOXML does in fact fail to receive ISO standardization, Microsoft is ready to adopt ODF. Once Microsoft has adopted ODF, already OpenOffice’s preferred format, other small players (such as Apple) will be quick to adopt it.

Is it possible to finally standardize on a single format if OOXML wins? Yes, it is, but it will likely take a lot longer and a lot more fighting. We have a chance to end this mess now, and we should take it. We should also realize that this does not in any way benefit only the open-source people. This benefits everyone. With Microsoft’s fairly recent release of Office 2007, which yet again changed the default save format, average consumers and even some of the computer illiterate are running up against the wall created by constantly changing, selectively supported file formats. We have a chance to end this entire problem now. Why wait?