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Stop the presses: Novell likes OpenDocument

Stephen Shankland Former Principal Writer
Stephen Shankland worked at CNET from 1998 to 2024 and wrote about processors, digital photography, AI, quantum computing, computer science, materials science, supercomputers, drones, browsers, 3D printing, USB, and new computing technology in general. He has a soft spot in his heart for standards groups and I/O interfaces. His first big scoop was about radioactive cat poop.
Expertise Processors, semiconductors, web browsers, quantum computing, supercomputers, AI, 3D printing, drones, computer science, physics, programming, materials science, USB, UWB, Android, digital photography, science. Credentials
  • Shankland covered the tech industry for more than 25 years and was a science writer for five years before that. He has deep expertise in microprocessors, digital photography, computer hardware and software, internet standards, web technology, and more.
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Stephen Shankland

In case there was any doubt Novell supported the OpenDocument format (ODF), the Waltham, Mass.-based software company put the issue to rest with an official endorsement Tuesday.

"Novell has delivered OpenDocument support in its Suse Linux distribution since March 2005. Novell will deliver complete OpenDocument support in the next edition of its enterprise desktop in 2006," the company said in a news release.

It would have been more surprising if the company didn't support ODF. It's an offshoot of the XML-based format used by OpenOffice.org, the open-source Microsoft Office rival that ships with every major version of Linux.

In addition, Novell is working to promote ODF along with Sun Microsystems--the company that launched OpenOffice.org--Google, IBM and Red Hat. And Novell is a member of OASIS technical committee that publishes and governs the ODF standard.