OASIS ODF Logo. Source: http://odftoolkit.org/
Sun Microsystems announced in a press release that they and IBM have started the ODF Toolkit Union, a project to increase support for the OpenDocument format.
The ODF Toolkit will use an initial software code contribution from Sun to provide developers with an easy-to-use Application Programming Interface (API) for reading, writing and manipulating ODF documents while accelerating additional application development. One part of the initial code contribution is an ODF Validator, a tool that validates OpenDocument files and checks certain conformance criteria. Capitalizing on the open, elegant nature of ODF, the Toolkit targets developers who want to create new applications and solutions ranging from content management, business workflows and activities to Web-based document solutions.
The ODF Toolkit will break down barriers between people and their data by providing support for a wide range of new applications. The ODF Toolkit Union will complement other industry efforts such as the ODF standardization work done at the Organization for the Advancement of Structured Information Standards (OASIS). These initiatives collectively are eliminating the economical and technical barriers to creativity, use and overall utility of documents.
I’m hoping that GNOME Office uses this as an opportunity to add proper OpenDocument support to their products. Currently you have better interoperability with the reverse-engineered Microsoft Office binary formats than with ODF.