[softwarecreator]

It just says that the docs have to be in an open format, presumably to give the creator or recipient potentially MORE choices of software with which to read and manipulate the files. How is this burdensome?

It's not.  It makes a lot of sense because this way they could share documents between Linux, Sun, Apple and MS.  As long as the application supports odf, it can be read.

I don't think MS will lose out too much by this, most people who use "MS Office" will still use it if they can save the document in open format.  People aren't going to give up a product they use now if they don't have to.

[N3WBI3]

I don't think MS will lose out too much by this, most people who use "MS Office" will still use it if they can save the document in open format.

Last I heard MS was not going to support an ODF format, thats why this is an issue at all MA. Microsoft XINO formats do not meet the definition of Open formats..

[Khym Chanur]

I don't think MS will lose out too much by this, most people who use "MS Office" will still use it if they can save the document in open format. [emphasis added]

But users of MS Office won't be able to. If MS provided the ability to open from and save to an open format, then they would lose their vendor lock-in, which at the very least would reduce their profit margin, since customers could then more realistically use the threat of migrating away from Windows to get MS to lower their prices.