...unfettered by potential or imaginable gravitational warpage
by commercial interests, visit Groklaw
(http://www.groklaw.net/.
OOXML standard vote down to the wire
Summary
Denmark changed its vote to "yes" taking Microsoft's document format one step closer to becoming an ISO standard. Plus, the U.K. moves closer to changing its vote.
Topics
Denmark has decided to back Microsoft's Office Open XML document format, reversing its previous disapproval and bringing the format closer to fast-track approval by the International Organization for Standardization. A vote is expected to take place in the next few days.
According to a Friday statement on the Web site of Danish Standards (the Danish equivalent of the British Standards Institution, or BSI), the country's previous vote of "disapproval with comments" on the original draft of the OOXML standard has now been changed to a vote of "approval."
The statement goes on to say that Danish Standards is changing its vote because "the 168 Danish comments have been adopted as changes to ISO/IEC DIS 29500 OOXML."
Denmark's change of vote enables OOXML to pass one of two criteria to becoming a standard--that fewer than 25 percent of the large group of bodies "observing" the process disapproves.
However, OOXML is still three short of the positive votes required amongst the 32 standards bodies "participating" in the process. Some of these are wavering, however.
UK on the fence
A technical group formed to make a recommendation to Britain's BSI's policy panel has voted five-to-one in favor of OOXML being accepted as an international standard, a source close to the process has told ZDNet.co.uk.
There was intense lobbying by interested parties before a meeting on Tuesday, in which IBM was apparently the one remaining dissident. IBM uses the competing OpenDocument Format (ODF), which is already an international standard.
The committee--whose members are not made public--voted against OOXML in September, criticizing it, among other things, for failing to take account of existing international standards, including ODF.
The BSI policy panel is not obliged to follow the technical group's recommendation and can simply note it, leaving its vote unchanged.
Talkback Most Recent of 12 Talkback(s)
-
dpnewkirk28th Mar 2008 -
Thanks for the link........
And..... For all the poor deluded
people who cannot think outside the
Microsoft box... here is a roundup of
current events: The world grew weary
of being forced to support and grovel
at Microsoft's feet in order to
communicate and read all their old
(no, not just old, ALL) their
documents, so they developed and
standardized a document format that
anyone anywhere in the world could
use anytime for free (including
Microsoft, by the way), and all
documents would be compatible
(interoperable is the new
catch-word). Some Governments even
made it mandatory that all public
documents use this (free open)
standard document format.
Microsoft is not about to sit still
and watch their established document
format monopoly lock-in be
compromised and cost them a few
Government contracts, so they are
pulling out the stops and using any
form of bribery, threat, blackmail,
lies, framing innocent people, or any
other form of chicanery they can
conjure up to have their proprietary
document format be declared to be
the "official standard" (so they can
seize official Government contracts,
see?). Since they are not encumbered
by ethics (making money is their one
and only goal, as many many of their
disciples have reiterated), there is
no limits to what they will do.
If Microsoft wins, this means more
taxes for citizens around the world
(the more money your Government is
forced to forfeit to Microsoft, the
more tax you will pay), and more
limitations on communication (no
document compatibility unless you
fork over even more loot to
Microsoft).
So if you are for higher taxes, less
freedom, and restricted
communications, and wish to support
Microsoft (poor things had less than
50 billion $$$$$$$$$ cash, last I
heard, not counting Billy's and
Stevie's personal fortunes), by all
means continue sending them your
money and prostrate yourself toward
Redmond. I'm sure Billy and Stevie
will appreciate it, and dine
sumptuously on your money.
Ole Man28th Mar 2008 -
What are you blathering about?
You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.
--Inigo Montoya
You keep using the phrase lock-in. I can open Word docs (or Excel, or PowerPoint) with OpenOffice, Neo Office, Star Office, and almost every Word processor out there.
How am I 'locked in'? I can use whatever I want
mdemuth28th Mar 2008 -
you can open them
and lose some parts of the document, because these parts are not actually documented in the format...the converter you use is reverse engineered, and has flaws. you're locked-in to m$ programs to read them properly if you want all the contents to be read the way they were written.
galileon29th Mar 2008 -
Oh well...
If it means I'm using a superior format then so be it.
CreepinJesus29th Mar 2008 -
undocumented
does not mean superior.galileon29th Mar 2008 -
I suppose
What he doesn't know won't hurt him,
eh? Although it might cost him a
boatload down the road if reality
ever slaps him up beside the head.
As long as he is happy, leave him
dream on and do his thing "The
Microsoft Way".Ole Man29th Mar 2008 -
RE: OOXML standard vote down to the wire
"Never underestimate the next man's greed."
-Tony Montoya
While I don't hold Bill Gates personally responsible for Microsoft's crackwhore-like affinity for the money chase I do recognize Microsoft's SPECTACULAR audacity and uncanny inability to stay out of court for violating someone else's right to do competitive business. That said, I don't believe MS would develop open ANYTHING unless it saw an opportunity to pervert it to their sole benefit later on.
Microsoft has already stated their intent to refine the subscription based model to the point of making the OS a subscription-based "service". (Simply put: eventually you'll pay MS a regular bill for the privilege of using your own hardware.) Anything they do, then, in my own common sense, is in that direction.
I wouldn't buy into an MS "open" standard if they standardized the direction in which underwear peeter holes opened.
empty.bin@...30th Mar 2008 -
RE: OOXML standard vote down to the wire
Micro$oft's blatant manipulation of the vote is sickening. They have corrupted the system to thepoint where it cannot reflect either reality or real consensus. I hope the EU slaps yet another big fine on Micro$oft.
mannyamador30th Mar 2008 -
I read somewhere that the goal is to destroy the ISO
I read somewhere where someone suggested that perhaps the goal is to destroy the ISO by destroying its credibility so that ODF's ISO certification is meaningless.
roaming30th Mar 2008 -
RE: OOXML standard vote down to the wire
I've read the spec.
OOXML is not a standard by any definition of the word. Let alone an open standard. OOXML may be a decent spec, but there's only one company on the planet that could possibly make a full implementation.
It's a sad sad state of affairs when a corporation can buy itself, and take over, a process that was designed to allow interoperability.
ISO will have a difficult time recovering.
The IT industry...even a harder time.
beaner1111@...31st Mar 2008 -
Or... Something else
Since OOXML has been submitted for fast-track approval, some time has elapsed. The specification has been verified, and most of its failings identified. As a matter of fact, it has already been heavily edited.
Other problems and mistakes, while not corrected yet, still have been documented. If OOXML does reach ISO fast track procedure, it won't become a standard right away - it will still be reviewed. Since most problems have already been noted, it may yet become better.
Now however, if the final version of OOXML gets ISO certification uncorrected, ISO will lose its standing - so OOXML will probably get some more attention.
If MS doesn't implement OOXML as specified in the final spec, and said final spec is corrected and valid, then MS Office won't be ISO approved - and they won't be able to boast about it.
*What does it mean? Be ready to patch your MSO 2007 and convert (and correct) all your documents, because they won't be OOXML anymore...
Mitch 7431st Mar 2008
Talkback - Tell Us What You Think
The best of ZDNet, delivered
ZDNet Newsletters
Get the best of ZDNet delivered straight to your inbox
