Roy Schestowitz <newsgroups@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> espoused:
> Rubber-stamping of OOXML raises concerns
>
> ,----[ Quote ]
>| But if the standard is adopted in its current form, ?there are likely to be
>| hundreds of defects?, said the head of the US delegation at the meeting,
>| Frank Farance.
> `----
>
> http://www.computerworlduk.com/management/infrastructure/applications/news/index.cfm?newsid=7769
The US delegation should be the one in support of Microsoft, as
Microsoft are a US company.
>
> Nevermind the bulls**t, here's OOXML, says Microsoft
>
> ,----[ Quote ]
>| Microsoft says it is "optimistic" that the Office Open XML specification will
>| be made into an ISO standard, despite a national body describing the ballot
>| resolution process as "bulls**t".
>|
>| Speaking after a week-long meeting to discuss technical issues raised
>| following last year's failed bid to have OOXML fast-tracked, Microsoft's Tom
>| Robertson said the company was hopeful of persuading sufficient national
>| bodies to change their vote to 'yes'.
> `----
>
> http://www.pcpro.co.uk/news/173304/nevermind-the-bullst-heres-ooxml-says-microsoft.html
>
>
> Context:
>
> BRM Narrative
>
> ,----[ Quote ]
>| Now that the BRM is over, I feel I can write about it a bit more; there are
>| some restrictions, but I?ll lay them out. Summary: A lot of good work was
>| done, but the process is irretrievably broken.
>|
>| [...]
>|
>| What Was Bad · The process was complete, utter, unadulterated bullshit. I?m
>| not an ISO expert, but whatever their ?Fast Track? process was designed for,
>| it sure wasn?t this. You just can?t revise six thousand pages of deeply
>| complex specification-ware in the time that was provided for the process.
>| That?s true whether you?re talking about the months between the vote and when
>| the Responses were available, the weeks between the Responses? arrival and
>| the BRM, or the hours in the BRM room.
> `----
>
> http://www.tbray.org/ongoing/When/200x/2008/02/29/BRM-narrative
>
>
> Related and recent:
>
> European regulator fines Microsoft $1.35 billion
>
> ,----[ Quote ]
>| In addition, Microsoft recently acknowledged that the commission is also
>| looking into lobbying efforts for its Open XML file format, which has been
>| derided by critics as insufficiently accessible. Microsoft unsuccessfully
>| sought last year to receive approval from the International Organization for
>| Standardization, or ISO, to have Open XML declared an international standard.
> `----
>
> http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/european-regulator-fines-microsoft-135/story.aspx?guid=%7B4421D497-DECC-41BF-9C86-E4C815C25241%7D
>
>
> Robbery at the BRM?
>
> ,----[ Quote ]
>| LinuxWorld mentions that the BRM organisors are making a paper ballot on all
>| the 900 comments. It seems that the BRM organisors are "robbing national
>| delegations of the opportunity to propose their own modifications".
>|
>| [...]
>|
>| The purpose of this robbery might be to avoid any fix to the standard.
>| MS-ECMA have not proposed any changes, and this robbery is designed to get
>| the message that the BRM have fixed some issues.
> `----
>
> http://www.noooxml.org/forum/t-43897/robbery-at-the-brm
>
>
> Danish Unix User Group Files Complaint With EU Commission Against Denmark For
> Mandating MSOOXML
>
> ,----[ Quote ]
>| The Danish Unix User Group, DKUUG, has filed a formal complaint with the EU
>| Commission regarding Denmark's mandating ECMA 376, better known by us as
>| MSOOXML, for certain procurements.
>|
>| The complaint [PDF] is grounded in breach of the EC Treaty article 81 on
>| unfair competition. The press release says that the regulation "can be seen
>| as an attempt to continue the de facto monopoly of Microsoft in the Danish
>| state on office software, as the various public agencies and institutions
>| need to buy the products of Microsoft to comply to the regulation."
> `----
>
> http://www.groklaw.net/article.php?story=20080226164131724
>
>
> Ivory Coast represented by Microsoft Sénégal at the BRM
>
> ,----[ Quote ]
>| The representative of Ivory Coast (Côte d'Ivoire) here in Geneva is Wemba
>| Opota, a senegalese citizen,, who is responsible for Microsoft West Africa.
>| Now the cacao has definetely a bitter Microsoft smell.
> `----
>
> http://www.noooxml.org/forum/t-43510/ivory-coast-represented-by-microsoft-senegal-at-the-brm
>
>
> Microsoft's Wikipedia editor goes to the BRM to represent Australia
>
> ,----[ Quote ]
>| Re: In Denmark, Microsoft has 2 out of 4 votes
>|
>| InzpektorInzpektor 18 Feb 2008, 15:20 BST
>|
>| The Danish delegation for the BRM will consist of:
>|
>| * IBM
>| * Dansk Standard (the national standards body)
>| * Microsoft - Themselves!
>| * Microsoft Gold Certified Partner Ciber A/S
>|
>| So, I guess that means that the Danish votes are a tie. (Ofcourse with the
>| national standards body being the joker here :-) )
>|
>| Reference:
>| http://www.ds.dk/3537 (In Danish)
> `----
>
> http://www.noooxml.org/forum/t-41947/microsoft-s-wikipedia-editor-goes-to-the-brm-to-represent-australia
>
>
> The BSI Has Been Corrupted by Microsoft ? Another Chink in ISO?s armor
>
> ,----[ Quote ]
>| Britain will be essentially represented by a Microsoft Gold Certified
>| Partner, having rejected OOXML several months ago. This apparently comes
>| after a reappointment.
> `----
>
> http://boycottnovell.com/2008/02/15/bsi-sends-microsoft-partner/
>
>
> Packing The Court At The ISO?
>
> ,----[ Quote ]
>| ...P member countries ('participating member' countries) sending
>| representatives, and I am interested to note the majority of
>| their representatives are, as individuals, also Microsoft employees.
>|
>| [...]
>|
>| How can they not see that OOXML (ECMA 376) is unwanted by anyone outside
>| of Microsoft? How about it Brian Jones? Are you really so desperate that
>| you have to resort to that?
> `----
>
> http://lnxwalt.wordpress.com/2007/03/23/packing-the-court-at-the-iso/
>
>
> Portugal will send Microsoft to the BRM
>
> ,----[ Quote ]
>| Microsoft, as president of the Portuguese Technical Committee, is already
>| controlling who will be at the BRM for Portugal. The Head of Delegation will
>| be... Microsoft!
> `----
>
> http://www.noooxml.org/forum/t-27501/portugal-will-send-microsoft-to-the-brm
>
>
> Microsoft's Stephen McGibbon to represent Ireland at the BRM?
>
> ,----[ Quote ]
>| There are rumors circulating in Ireland that Microsoft's Stephen McGibbon
>| might be part of the Irish delegation to attend the BRM in Geneva. Microsoft
>| is already controlling the Portuguese delegation, you can expect that they
>| will control half of the table at Geneva. O'MyGod!
> `----
>
> http://www.noooxml.org/forum/t-29606/microsoft-s-stephen-mcgibbon-to-represent-ireland-at-the-brm
>
>
> Tracking the Man with the Gavel: Alex Brown on the BRM
>
> ,----[ Quote ]
>| I found Alex's last comment particularly interesting from a strategic point
>| of view. As I've repeatedly noted in a variety of prior blog entries over
>| the past two years, Microsoft has adopted a high risk strategy by pushing
>| OOXML so aggressively through the Ecma, and then the ISO/IEC JTC1 process.
>| Already, it's received one set back, in that its failure to gain approval in
>| the first voting period has resulted in much bad press, and a seven month
>| delay (through the expiration of the second consideration period, which will
>| end on March 30).
> `----
>
> http://www.consortiuminfo.org/standardsblog/article.php?story=20080130062110266
>
>
> OOXML Questions Microsoft Cannot Answer in Geneva
>
> ,----[ Quote ]
>| At Left: Highly respected Martin Bryan. As outgoing Conveyor of ISO/IEC
>| JTC1/SC34 WG1 he accused MS of stacking his group and said, ?The days of open
>| standards development are fast disappearing. Instead we are
>| getting ?standardization by corporation,? something I have been fighting
>| against for the 20 years I have served on ISO committees.?
>|
>| The trend is that Microsoft is opening up the boring legacy bits of OOXML, in
>| stupefying detail, while neglecting to document the pieces actually needed
>| for interoperability at a competitive level, like macros, scripting,
>| encryption, etc. In essence, Microsoft is opening up and releasing the file
>| format information that competitors like OpenOffice.org have already figured
>| out on their own, while still at the same time restricting access to the
>| information needed to compete. And the more MS realizes it has to open up the
>| specification, deprecate and modernize OOXML, what do you get? You get XML.
>| XML is XML. Strip out the non-XML garbage from OOXML and you will have the
>| OpenDocument Format.
>|
>| [...]
>|
>| We need for MICROSOFT TO ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS. Rather than hiding all the
>| information we need and trying to cloak OOXML as ODF, we ask Microsoft to
>| please get off the sinking ship, collaborate with the global community (which
>| will welcome Microsoft) and help develop one universal file format for all.
>| Long term, Microsoft can only benefit from cooperating with the market!
> `----
>
> http://www.fanaticattack.com/2008/ooxml-questions-microsoft-cannot-answer-in-geneva.html
>
>
> What Will and Won't Be Discussed at February's BRM on MSOOXML
>
> ,----[ Quote ]
>| So if you had concerns about Microsoft's patent policy, forgeddaboudit.
>| It's been magically erased, and any comments are out of order.
>|
>| [...]
>|
>| They have chosen a room that can seat only 120 people for reasons unknown, so
>| there may not be room for all the delegates. Let me guess. The head of the
>| delegation is a Microsoft guy, and the ones who can't fit in the room are the
>| ones who have issues with the proposed format? You think? Hey, some of us
>| remember the games that were played already over rooms too small for IBM and
>| Sun.
>|
>| This is starting to look really, really bad. At a minimum, you have to say
>| this is the very opposite of an open process. I can't help but notice too
>| that Brown lists Rick Jelliffe's as one of the "cool blogs" he recommends on
>| Brown's blog. I think that is what novelists would call foreshadowing.
> `----
>
> http://www.groklaw.net/article.php?story=20071211055139790
>
>
> Opinion: Einstein's definition of insanity...
>
> ,----[ Quote ]
>| But ISO standards have a much more political dimension to them than Internet
>| (IETF) or World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) standards. Every country can vote,
>| although not all chose to do so. Over the past few weeks, some strange and
>| rather irregular national positions have come to light. My favourites were
>| Cuba voting "Yes" to the fast-tracking of OOXML, even though Microsoft is
>| prohibited by the US Government from selling any software on the island that
>| might even be able to read and write the new format, and Azerbaijan's "Yes"
>| vote, even though OOXML as defined isn't able to express a Web URL address in
>| Azeri, their official language.
> `----
>
> http://www.linuxformat.co.uk/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=632
>
>
> Whither OOXML?
>
> ,----[ Quote ]
>| Strangely, however, Microsoft appears to be soft-pedaling its own standard.
>| At GOSCON last week there was a panel on document formats, with reps from
>| IBM, Sun, Adobe, and Microsoft present. Each of the company representatives
>| got to speak for five minutes and present his company's perspective on
>| document formats.
>|
>| In his presentation, Matusow appeared to be backing away from OOXML as a key
>| technology. If you look at the slide he presented...
>|
>| ...you can see that the positioning now is that the tool is key, and the
>| document format secondary, which, to my mind, is a bizarre assertion,
>| although it's one that aligns with a positioning that, above all, must keep
>| Microsoft's tools in a predominate position.
>|
>| It appears to me that, having realized that the force-feeding of OOXML into
>| an international standards body is problematic, Microsoft is now trying to
>| present a soft TCO story which emphasizes sunk costs and pre-existing product
>| versions as a reason to stay on the Microsoft path, along with an
>| incomprehensible assertion that two document standards would be a good thing
>| (this last is the most oddball position of all; how can anyone state with a
>| straight face that the world would be well-served by having two incompatible
>| editable file formats?).
> `----
>
> http://advice.cio.com/bernard_golden/wither_ooxml
>
>
> Corrupt countries were more likely to support the OOXML document format
>
> ,----[ Quote ]
>| Is this just a random coincidence? The median of the CPI index of the above
>| mentioned 70 countries is 3.95. Of the most corrupted half (CPI index less
>| than 3.95) 23 or 77% voted for approval (approval or approval with comments)
>| and 7 or 23% for disapproval; 5 abstained. Of the least corrupted half (CPI
>| index more than 3.95) 13 or 54% voted for approval and 11 or 46% voted for
>| disapproval; 11 abstained - see the table below.
> `----
>
> http://www.effi.org/blog/kai-2007-09-05.en.html
>
>
> Microsoft accused of more OOXML standards fiddling
>
> ,----[ Quote ]
>| However the 11 new countries are refusing to say how they will vote. These
>| include Cote d'Ivoire, Cyprus, Ecuador, Jamaica, Lebanon, Malta, Pakistan,
>| Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey, Uruguay and Venezuela. Most people seem to think
>| that these have been put there by Vole to make sure the standard gets pushed
>| through.
> `----
>
> http://www.theinquirer.net/default.aspx?article=42106
>
>
> Dissing OOXML
>
> ,----[ Quote ]
>| Rather remarkably for a 6000-page specification, OOXML is on a fast track,
>| but it has come into collision with over 3000 comments on that specification,
>| many of them negative. The question is, how on earth can the national bodies
>| (NB) who do the prodding, poking and voting, work their way through those
>| comments to pick out the really key ones, and make sure that they get sorted
>| before approval is contemplated?
> `----
>
> http://www.computerworlduk.com/toolbox/open-source/blogs/index.cfm?entryid=464
>
>
> More Irregularities in the OOXML ISO Process Surface
>
> ,----[ Quote ]
>| If you read about what happened there in that article, "OOXML in Norway: The
>| haywire process," your jaw will simply drop. I do think there is something
>| the matter with the ISO process if this is how it works.
> `----
>
> http://www.groklaw.net/article.php?story=20070827111019189
>
>
> OOXML in Norway: The haywire process
>
> ,----[ Quote ]
>| I believe that anything that sanctions unfair competition is bad. I believe
>| in a world where the threshold for competition is low and where everyone are
>| free to easily innovate.
> `----
>
> http://blogs.freecode.no/isene/?p=3
--
| Mark Kent -- mark at ellandroad dot demon dot co dot uk |
| Cola faq: http://www.faqs.org/faqs/linux/advocacy/faq-and-primer/ |
| Cola trolls: http://colatrolls.blogspot.com/ |
| My (new) blog: http://www.thereisnomagic.org |
|
|
