Open Standards, Open Source Adoption in the Public Sector, and Their Relationship to Microsoft’s Market Dominance

Abstract

This paper examines (1) recent decisions to implement open standards and open source software, (2) Microsoft’s current response to these decisions, and (3) the possible effect of these decisions on Microsoft’s market dominance. In particular, this paper compares and contrasts the Microsoft Open XML standard with the OASIS OpenDocument standard. It also considers some recent government announcements to adopt open source solutions, including OpenDocument. Furthermore, the paper analyzes Microsoft’s previous approach to open standards, its refusal to support OpenDocument in favor of its own Open XML format, and its recent decision to submit Open XML to a standards body for certification. Our study concludes that, while Microsoft will likely continue to maintain its market dominance, the open source and open document movements will benefit consumers and create a more competitive environment.

Keywords: Open Source, OpenDocument, Microsoft, XML