Genii Weblog

Update on ODF vs OOXML file counts based on Google search

Thu 24 May 2007, 11:40 PM



by Ben Langhinrichs
It is two weeks since I posted the table of OOXML file types found by Google.  I was curious how the numbers have changed, so here is the updated file:


Format
Count (May 10, 2007)
Count (May 24, 2007)
ODT
85,200
89,000
ODS
20,700
20,600
ODP
43,400
44,800
Total ODF
149,300
154,400



DOCX
516 (12% on Microsoft.com)
659 (15% on Microsoft.com)
XLSX
68 (6% on Microsoft.com)
95 (4% on Microsoft.com)
PPTX
80 (13% on Microsoft.com)
349 (56% on Microsoft.com)
Total OOXML
664 (11% on Microsoft.com)
1103 (27% on Microsoft.com)

I'm note sure how to read these results, but they certainly don't make a compelling case for OOXML acceptance.  Yes, there has been a 27% increase in the DOCX format, but with millions of customers using Office, fewer than 1000 DOCX documents is not overwhelming.  The PPTX numbers look like they are growing by leaps and bounds, but with over 50% on Microsoft's site, and even then just 349 presentations total, the numbers are pretty minimal.  The spreads sheets are lightly represented in both formats, and even went down for ODS format.

So, a person who wanted to show that OOXML was gaining would point out that after about fifty weeks of approximately 28% growth for DOCX, versus only 4.5% growth for ODT, there would be more DOCX documents.  A person who wanted to show that ODF is doing better would point out that percentage growth is unimportant or unreliable against such small numbers, and would point to the 439 new OOXML documents versus 5100 new ODF documents.  A person who was trying to stay impartial might shrug and suggest we check back in a year.  What do you think?

Copyright © 2007 Genii Software Ltd.

What has been said:


595.1. Philip Storry
(25/05/2007 02:40)

I'm sure that we'll get OOXML documents (not on MS's site) overtaking ODF eventually.

But I now plan to put all my documents out as ODF & PDF - I seem to have completely migrated to OpenOffice.Org recently, and out of preference rather than anything else. There are a few niggles, but I'm just finding it far better than MS Office for almost everything.

Now, if they only had ODMA awareness, I'd be using it full time at work too!


595.2. Ben Langhinrichs
(05/25/2007 05:51 AM)

It does seem likely that eventually OOXML documents will exceed ODF documents, but given the sheer size of Microsoft's dominance (we are not talking 60-70% market share, but something greater then 90%, and many say 95-97%), it is still noteworthy that the pickup is relatively slow.

I am planning on putting out all documents in ODF format for the next release of each of our products, along with PDF and old style Microsoft binary formats. It just seems appropriate.


595.3. Philip Storry
(25/05/2007 05:56)

And just in case anyone was curious, the number of ODF documents that are on OpenOffice.Org's site and what percentage they make of the totals:

ODT - 266 (0.29%)

ODS - 45 (0.21%)

ODP - 73 (0.16%)

Total - (0.24%)

Not worth reporting on in future, but as you're asking what the stats mean I felt it would be worthwhile just to show that there's no significant stacking of numbers by the OpenOffice community etc...

And what do I think? Check back monthly. Make pretty graphs. :-)


595.4. Marcus
(14/11/2007 09:28 PM)

Im just wondering is there any sites where microsoft is defended, realise its kind of off topic but i feel like the only one currently surfing the internet who thinks OpenOffice is overrated and Ms office grossely underated