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A comment on Why are the Microsoft Office file formats so complicated? (2008).

Re:Why are the Microsoft Office file formats so complicated?... by adsims2001 on Sunday September 11, 2016 @12:04AM (#12471942)
"A lot of the complexities in these file formats reflect features that are old, complicated, unloved, and rarely used. They’re still in the file format for backwards compatibility, and because it doesn’t cost anything for Microsoft to leave the code around."

That's not really true. It is not free to leave old code around.

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Re:Why are the Microsoft Office file formats so complicated?... by jlarocco on Sunday September 11, 2016 @01:34AM (#12472128)
It's not free, but taking the code out isn't free either, and keeping it around makes it easier to sell upgrades to newer versions.
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Re:Why are the Microsoft Office file formats so complicated?... by acbabis on Sunday September 11, 2016 @12:12AM (#12471962)
I agree. A more accurate explanation is that it would cost Microsoft money and/or reputation to take a feature away from people who take it for granted. As the de facto enterprise solution, they're stuck supporting their old mistakes.
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