Update- more information.

ongoing · Massachusetts XML

This is a really smart move by Massachusetts… Because this way, they maximize the chances that the data is re-usable by lots of different programs, and not just office suites. Because they are entirely 100% free of legal entanglements. Because they maximize the chances that the data will still be usable by their grand-children, independent of the fortunes of any software company. Because if there’s something that needs adding to the format, there’s a standards committee whose job that is.

Note- Tim Bray is one of the people who created XML