Microsoft won't commit to the open document standard it's pushing so hard
,----[ Quote ]
| Now consider this from Brian Jones, a Microsoft manager who has worked on
| OOXML for six years. In July, Jones was asked on his blog whether Microsoft
| would actually commit to conform to an officially standardised OOXML. His
| response:
|
| ?It?s hard for Microsoft to commit to what comes out of Ecma [the European
| standards group that has already OK?d OOXML] in the coming years, because we
| don?t know what direction they will take the formats. We?ll of course stay
| active and propose changes based on where we want to go with Office 14. At
| the end of the day, though, the other Ecma members could decide to take the
| spec in a completely different direction. ... Since it?s not guaranteed, it
| would be hard for us to make any sort of official statement.?
|
| Now that?s cynical. After all this work to make OOXML a formal, independent
| standard ? a standard created and promoted by Microsoft, remember ? Microsoft
| won?t agree to follow it.
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http://www.techworld.com/storage/features/index.cfm?featureid=3685&pagtype=all
Ecma XML Paper Specification (XPS) Standard: Working Draft 1.0.1
,----[ Quote ]
| This working draft 1.0.1 "XML Paper Specification" submitted to Ecma TC46 by
| Microsoft in September 2007 is available in PDF format and XPS format.
`----
http://www.activewin.com/awin/comments.asp?HeadlineIndex=40963
Related:
Evidence of Microsoft Influencing OOXML Votes in Nordic States
,----[ Quote ]
| "This is how a standard is bought," Bosson wrote later. "I left the meeting
| in protest - pissed off."
`----
http://www.betanews.com/article/Evidence_of_Microsoft_Influencing_OOXML_Votes_in_Nordic_States/1188335569
Microsoft Memo to Partners in Sweden Surfaces: Vote Yes for OOXML - Updated
,----[ Quote ]
| He acknowledges that the rules might need to be changed.
`----
http://www.groklaw.net/article.php?story=20070829070630660
The OOXML Problem
,----[ Quote ]
| Another thing, by introducing a "new fancy" document format, MS can hold a
| tighter grip round existing customers and get more on the false pretence that
| they've "opened up".
`----
http://phun-ky.net/2007/08/the-ooxml-problem
Rejecting OOXML
,----[ Quote ]
| All the CIOs say they want is XML documents; unfortunately they aren't as
| aware as Georg Greve, above, that Microsoft's implementation of XML is
| exceedingly half-hearted.
`----
http://fussnotes.typepad.com/plexnex/2007/08/rejecting-ooxml.html
Interesting headline regarding XPS
,----[ Quote ]
| This is a pessimistic view, of course, but I would love to be proven
| wrong. That means a fully transparent process where all minutes and
| group emails are public. This means a full and open plan for the
| active maintenance of the standard. This means a full description
| of how the intellectual property will be be handled for everything
| necessary to implement the specification. This means a complete
| implementation for every platform, including Linux and the Mac.
|
| That is, the opposite of OOXML.
`----
http://www.sutor.com/newsite/blog-open/?p=1707
|
|