IBM threw its shoulder behind the OpenOffice.org community effort today, pledging the support of 35 of its programmers, who will contribute enhancements centering on usability, quality and accessibility. And before you ask, yes IBM has its own suite of productivity apps that support the ODF format (the IBM Workplace Managed Client and Lotus Notes and Domino 8), and yes IBM is just now publicly pledging support f IBM threw its shoulder behind the OpenOffice.org community effort today, pledging the support of 35 of its programmers, who will contribute enhancements centering on usability, quality and accessibility. And before you ask, yes IBM has its own suite of productivity apps that support the ODF format (the IBM Workplace Managed Client and Lotus Notes and Domino 8), and yes IBM is just now publicly pledging support for a product it already tacitly supported. Still, IBM’s timing in publicly backing ODF (while Microsoft’s OOXML vs ODF spin cycle rages on) reminds me a little of the lesson Lefty gives Johnny Depp’s character, in the film Donnie Brasco. Lefty: When I introduce you, I’m gonna say, ‘This is a friend of mine.’ That means you’re a connected guy. Now if I said instead, ‘this is a friend of ours’ that would mean you a made guy. A Capiche?”With IBM’s track record in supporting and encouraging open source projects (anyone remember that little ditty called Eclipse?), this loud endorsement is big news and should serve as a real shot in the arm for both OpenOffice and ODF. Open Source