OpenDoc was a software componentry framework standard for compound documents, inspired by (and intended as an alternative to) Microsoft's object linking and embedding (OLE). It was initially created by Apple Inc. in 1992 after Microsoft approached Apple asking for input on a proposed OLE II project. Apple reviewed the crude prototype and document and returned a list of problems they saw with the design. Microsoft wasn't interested so Apple decided for competitive reasons that it should have an alternative and decided to create OpenDoc.