As part of its initiative to put Linux on the desktop, IBM Corp. wants to migrate Microsoft Corp.'s Office suite to Linux. Microsoft said it's not involved and suggests that IBM might do it by emulation. For several years, the Linux operating system has been part of IBM's explicit strategy. So far, we've mostly seen server-side solutions. Now, IBM is going for the desktop.

Many Linux users would prefer to run both Microsoft's Office suite and IBM's Lotus Notes. This is actually possible, using so-called emulation. Companies such as U.S.-based Codeweavers offer such products. But this will not give you applications that are actually compiled for Linux.

Read more: InfoWorld.

Well Im glad Microsoft doesnt want to get involved, Office should stay on Windows, and windows alone. [my .02 anyways]

I agree. M$ office should stick to windows.

However, The M$ document formats. well, if linux was supported catering fro .doc, xml, etc in Open office, it could only raise the profile and viability of linux.

Office is already on Macs guys...

Well that sucks!!!! I dont use Mac so I didnt know

---agisiis---> Are you applying for a job with MS' evangelist dept? I can't really fathom why you'd want (or care for that matter) MS Office to stay Windows only...
Care to enlighten me?

personally, I feel that if office stayed away from linux, what with the growing popularity of the infamous Open Office, we would be one step closer to an ideal world, where computer software is open source, and is more secure because more people patch the flaws in it, and less flaws are there in the first place, as the creators will be well aware that with full source, flaws in procs are easier to exploit.

iirc the file format Office98 for Macintosh is the identical file format for Office2000 for Windows, but not Office97 for Windows. So looks like Mac got the new code first.