[ossig] Microsoft stumbles in Open XML standards vote - Software - News - ZDNet Asia

[Yoon Kit Yong]

Whats scary is that Malaysia voted "Abstain" when its technical committees
voted "Disagree with comments".



On 05/09/07, NP Lee <nplee at tm.net.my> wrote:
>
>
> http://www.zdnetasia.com/news/software/0,39044164,62031814,00.htm?scid=nl_z_ntnd
>
>  *Microsoft stumbles in Open XML standards vote*
> By Martin LaMonica<zdnews-asia at cnet.com&Subject=Feedback%20on%20%27Microsoft%20stumbles%20in%20Open%20XML%20standards%20vote%27>,
> CNET News.com
> Wednesday, September 05 2007 09:55 AM
>
> *Microsoft has failed in its initial effort to standardize its Office
> document file format.*
>
> The company was attempting to standardize its Office Open XML document
> formats through a "fast track" process at the International Organization for
> Standardization.
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>
> The draft standard "has not achieved the required number of votes"
> according to a statement issued by the ISO on Tuesday. The voting process
> ended on Sunday.
>
> A tally indicates that Open XML did not get the two-thirds majority needed
> from "participating" ISO members.
>
> The closely watched vote has been marked by intense lobbying and
> politicking among Microsoft supporters and rivals. Microsoft is seeking a
> standards body's recognition of its document formats in an effort of allay
> fears among businesses and governments that its products are proprietary.
>
> Some worry that a document format controlled by Microsoft<http://www.zdnetasia.com/news/business/0,39044229,62030685,00.htm>,
> as opposed to a standards body, could make it difficult for organizations to
> exchange data or to access older data at a later date.
>
> Despite the setback for Microsoft, this is not the end of the line for the
> Office Open XML standards effort<http://www.zdnetasia.com/news/software/0,39044164,62026836,00.htm>,
> according to people familiar with the process.
>
> In the next phase of the process, managers of the Office Open XML
> specification will address technical comments that were attached to the
> votes. Microsoft can modify and resubmit its proposal. That process is
> expected to begin in February of next year in Geneva, according to the ISO.
>
> If Microsoft's reworked proposal does not satisfy ISO members on its next
> submission, "the proposal will have failed and this fast-track procedure
> will be terminated," according to the ISO.
>
> Microsoft on Tuesday issued a statement saying that 74 percent of
> participants in the ISO vote "supported" ratification of Open XML.
>
> "This preliminary vote is a milestone for the widespread adoption of the
> Open XML formats around the world for the benefit of millions of customers.
> Given how encouraging today's results were, we believe that the final tally
> in early 2008 will result in the ratification of Open XML as an ISO
> standard," Tom Robertson, Microsoft's general manager for standards and
> interoperabilty, said in a statement.
>
> Attorney Andrew Updegrove, a standards expert and supporter of the rival
> OpenDocument standard, interpreted Microsoft's statement as an "oblique
> confirmation" that the vote failed to get the necessary votes to be
> approved.
>
> The lobbying group Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA),
> which supports Open XML ISO ratification, on Tuesday said the ISO vote tally
> is a setback but not the final word on the Office Open XML standards effort.
>
>
> "CompTIA remains disappointed but not disheartened with today's news of
> Sunday's ISO vote tally," said Hugo Lueders, group director of EU public
> policy for CompTIA.
>
> *This article was first published as a blog.*
>
>
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