Mind you that you get the same format issues between the different
versions of MS Word as well as they aren't uniform across them either.
However, on the international stage (ie most of what's outside the USA) more and more business and government is moving to and requiring the use of the Open Document standards of .odt etc. It's because of the need for this on the International stage that the US gov't depts pressured MS into handling .odt etc some years back.
I did some tertiary studies a few years ago and one of the professors initially insisted that all assignments be handed in with certain format specs and stated we had to use MS Word 2007 to prepare them. I handed him a written request to supply said software at his expense. I got called into the faculty dean's office the next week and asked to explain. After I did the requirements for specified software and version specific format got dropped as they didn't like either having to supply the software out of their budget or having to refund the fees of several students due to them introducing special requirements for the course after it started. Sometimes the little guy does win.
