5 What document storage formats should we use ?

5.1.1 The shared workspace faces a significant issue in the format used for electronic document storage, to ensure accessibility to records over time.

Proprietary version format (e.g. MS Word 2000 .doc format)

+ Captures tracking / revision information

+ Microsoft Word is the de facto standard in NZ government (and in the private sector)

- Single monopoly provider - Microsoft

- All agencies in the workspace would have to agree to upgrade to a more recent version at a similar time, or only use functionality of lowest common denominator

- reduces agency autonomy

- Requires conversion for web publication

- Electronic records stored in a proprietary version format are less accessible over time

- More difficult to create if document creation is server based (refer section Where should we create content?)

Internet standard format - HTML

+ Universally understood by all browsers

+ Can be published to web immediately

+ Will be easily accessible in 20 years time, as ASCII-based HTML

+ Easier to create if document creation is server based

- Purely presentation, no tracking or revision information captured inside the document (requires "compare documents")

- Editors are immature

Internet standard format - XML

+ Better than HTML, as it provides content management capability, as well as the content

+ Can be used to present document in multiple forms

+ Readily converted to HTML

+ Will be easily accessible in 20 years time, as ASCII-based content and presentation files

+ Easily integrated into server based applications

+ Easier to create if document creation is server based

- No existing schema for document creation / modification

- Tools for document creation immature

5.2 Recommendation

5.2.1 The recommendation is to support proprietary version formats in the short term, and adopt XML based document creation when this technology has matured.