09 September 2007

OOXML Monkey in the Wrench

I've been meaning to write about the OOXML nonsense, but just haven't had time. Microsoft failed in its recent (but probably not final) attempt to have OOXML listed as an ISO standard file format. Groklaw has the details of the vote.

The Groklaw article also discusses Microsoft's version of the results--Microsoft tried to spin it as a success. When I first skimmed Microsoft's press release (which I saw on Google News before reading any intelligent analysis), I was fooled into thinking that OOXML had passed.

There has been a lot of criticism of the ISO process, accusations that Microsoft has effectively purchased the votes that they did get. Hopefully ISO can reform some of their processes before the next vote on OOXML (which I think happens in early 2008).

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