Andy from the Standards Blog raises an interesting question. With Microsoft rattling its patents sabre in front of OpenOffice.org, what would be the impact on OpenDocument format (ODF)? They recent delivered a self-serving approval statement that was in fact flaunting their lockin. And with many unnamed patents that they brag about, would there be dangers (if any)?

But there is a second point to note, and this one is more revealing, I think. For the first time (that I'm aware of), Microsoft started talking in the Fortune piece about a specific number of patents -- 45 -- that it claims OpenOffice (and presumably any other implementation of ODF) would infringe. So on the one hand, Microsoft is saying "Nice standard you've got there," while on the other hand, warning "Implement it if you dare, but only for a price."

Bear in mind that Microsoft's cash cow is in great danger. 20% of The Register's readers, for example, already use OpenOffice.

We had an overwhelming response to our reader poll in this area with over 4,800 of you participating, so thanks to those who took the time.

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The only competition at the moment is from open source office suites, OpenOffice in particular, which around one in five Reg readers are personally using.

Also consider Google's explosive growth with a Web-based Office suite.

Google's newly released online productivity suite Google Apps has already replaced Microsoft Office at more than 100,000 small to medium enterprises and has been deployed at two of the largest companies in the world, according to the search leader's enterprise product boss.

Lastly, just look at the numbers OpenOffice.org was raving about last year.

Simon's official response explained the business rationale behind offering support for OpenOffice.org: "OpenOffice.org has become phenomenally successful, Sun alone has shipped more than 70 million copies of OpenOffice.org 2.0," he said. "Out there, there are maybe 100 million copies of OpenOffice.org. It would be senseless to ignore that opportunity."