<p>Ministers are looking at saving tens of millions of pounds a year by abandoning expensive software produced by firms such as Microsoft.</p><p>Some 200m has been spent by the public sector on the computer giant's Office suite alone since 2010.</p><p>But the Cabinet Office minister Francis Maude believes a significant proportion of that outlay could be cut by switching to software which can produce open-source files in the "open document format" (ODF), such as OpenOffice and Google Docs.</p><p>Document formats are set to be standardised across Whitehall to help break the "oligopoly" of IT suppliers, and improve communications between civil servants.</p><p><a href="http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/jan/29/uk-government-plans-switch-to-open-source-from-microsoft-office-suite">Keep reading...</a></p><p>Read also:</p><p><a href="http://www.theverge.com/2014/1/29/5356982/uk-goverment-threatens-to-ditch-microsoft-office-again">UK government once again threatens to ditch Microsoft Office</a> (The Verge)</p><p><a href="http://news.cnet.com/8301-10805_3-57617992-75/uk-governments-aims-drawdown-in-microsoft-office-reliance/">UK government aims drawdown in Microsoft Office reliance</a> (CNET)</p><p><a href="http://www.pcpro.co.uk/news/386770/government-to-trade-microsoft-office-for-open-source">Government to trade Microsoft Office for open source</a> (PC Pro)</p><p>Explore: <a href="http://news.google.com/news/more?ncl=dv_ovjid5zw54gMf4b7SwC2fZL5aM&authuser=0&ned=us">39 additional articles.</a></p>