Microsoft says aids Office/open-source interaction

ST GALLEN, Switzerland (Reuters) - Microsoft said on Wednesday that starting some time next year it will make it easier for users of an open-source rival to work with Microsoft Office.

Microsoft said that without adding any special software to Office, users will be able to open documents sent to them in the open source Open Document Format (ODF). As well, users will be able to save documents in that format.

"Microsoft is going to be providing support for three new file formats directly in the Office product," said Erich Anderson, vice president and general counsel for Europe, in a telephone interview.

In addition to ODF, it will also support Adobe's PDF fixed format and Microsoft's competitor to PDF, known as XPS.

(Reporting by David Lawsky, editing by Gerald E. McCormick)