Typically, although authoritative, this article ignors a crucial issue also related to freedom of information. It is a simple fact that proprietary file formats are a complete hinderence to productivity unless they offer specific unique features and are universally embraced. One problem lies with the ignorance of users themselves, Unless there is essential cause to open them (in this writer's case with Open Office on both Mac or Windows platforms) most "Doc" files and similar should be aimed at the bin. These days it costs nothing to export or print to PDF, Envoy, Flash Paper, Html (even "txt") or other universal portable formats, most of which are more compact and more easily navigatable than software-specific formats. We need to be saved from the mindset that saves files in any given application and then dispatches them to another party with no thought as to whether that party is running compatible software or even working on the same platform. Software should be developed for, and its success based on, functionality and purpose - not as a trick to attempt market monopolisation. The only instance where this does not apply is where a proprietary format is needed for confidentiality, but even that can be addressed by encryption alogorithms independent of originating software. I for one only want to hear about a new format if it is freely decodable and offers something not yet replicated elsewhere. Open source software does a fine job of bridging the gaps, but their task is made harder by constantly needing to catch up with other competing standards that frequently offer little benefit over those that have gone before.