Recently Microsoft submitted their new standard XPS ( XML Paper Specification) to the Standard setting body Ecma International for the future of the electronic paper/document standard ,there is also a fight going on between the Adobe and Microsoft as Adobe want its PDF to become the dominant standard for online documentation.Microsoft has even bundled the XPS document writer with Windows Vista and Office 2007.

This move will hit the Adobe as it has not made the full functionality available in the free versions ,they might think to make it free now as direct competition from the software giant Microsoft is inevitable now.

End users will definitely benefit out this “standards fight” between the Softare giants. The users will have a choice and they will choose the best standard.

while Microsoft new standard has to face a stiff competition as the Adobe’s PDF standard is widely used on the internet these days .The new standard would have to be good enough so that it can replace the PDF which i think is nearly impossible.