Microsoft decision sparks dissent amid ISO members

Members of global standards-setting body question its relevance following decision to dismiss appeals against fast-track approval of OOXML.
(From Reuters)

The story "Microsoft decision sparks dissent amid ISO members" published September 1, 2008 at 11:02 AM is no longer available on CNET News.

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[Commander_Spock]

Re: "This weekend, the state IT organizations of Brazil, South Africa, Venezuela, Ecuador, Cuba, and Paraguay published a declaration saying they were no longer confident ISO would be a vendor-neutral organization..." This is "Not Going To Be Over Until The Fat (ERR) Lady Sings"!

[The_Decider]

LOL More insanity from Spock. ERR is long dead since anyone can easily create it.

[Commander_Spock]

Certainly "The_Decider" - Like "Elvis" and "OS/2".... "ERR is long dead"; but, people are still listening to "Elvis", running OS/2 and making lots of money from them; and, will be making much, much more once the computerized method (unlike the manual method) of "ERR" is employed (watch the world's energy markets and the US Economic Recovery closely for a guide) unlike OOXML which in its present form (as reported) cannot even be implemented by the Redmondians themselves much less other folks around the world who do not have access to their Operating Systems' Code-Bases Lotus Symphony with the support for the Open Document Format (ODF) Standards (and others like it) is what the world needs. ;-)


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[The_Decider]

Of course the ISO is irrelevant. They sold out their credibility for a few bucks. Everything they do will be suspect and nothing will be accepted anymore.

Sure, there have been disagreements before but not on something so fundamentally flawed that it will never be implemented correctly, not even MS. No one can implement something when it refers to closed standards and has contradictions.

[Commander_Spock]

Think that the Bush Administration did not do a good job with the move (like the Brazilians) to "ETHANOL" (E85) - Then Think Again! Now the "ISO S-t-a-n-d-a-r-d-i-z-e-d S-p-r-e-a-d S-h-e-e-t-s" would mind. In "Four More Years" - Redmond!

[Penguinisto]

If the ISO wants to derail their shrinking credibility, it's entirely up to them.

[Belinus]

I love how this is all because it's Microsoft. Had it been an open-source format, then the countries who appealed would have been demonized up and down. Just because it's Microsoft does not mean it cannot be standardized.

[Penguinisto]

If an "open source format" org bribed officials and stuffed ballot boxes as Microsoft had, then they would have caught the same shades of hell.

If an "open source format" included obvious non-standard crap like "WorksLikeWord95" as a spec, then I would happily condemn that format as well.

[mbenedict]

Brazil, Venezuela, etc. can complain all they want, but in total 61 countries voted *for* OOXML, and only 10 opposed.

With a 6:1 ratio like that, ISO/IEC is absolutely right that the "appeal" was not worth pursuing, especially since OOXML passed with 75% margin among the so called "p-member" countries.

[Penguinisto]

The appeals had to do with corruption on Microsoft's part.

[Commander_Spock]

Re: You have said "Brazil, Venezuela, etc. can complain all they want, but in total 61 countries voted *for* OOXML, and only 10 opposed.

With a 6:1 ratio like that, ISO/IEC is absolutely right that the "appeal" was not worth pursuing, especially since OOXML passed with 75% margin among the so called "p-member" countries." But, there is one thing that you have to remember and that is - there are some countries around the world that are currently described/designated as BRIC countries; and, market share wise - Brazil and India are two of the countries that are protesting and the market forces will be the determining factor. This will be the bottom line.

[mbenedict]

Reuters published a correction to this article:

http://qwix.com/1a