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Microsoft Leaves U.N. Standards Group

Posted by timothy on from the straightforward dept.

pk2000 writes "Microsoft withdrew from a United Nations software standards group for commerce. 'Unfortunately, for now, we have made the decision to stop participating in U.N./Cefact for business reasons and this serves as notification of our immediate withdrawal from all U.N./Cefact activities.' This might be connected to Microsoft's intention to build up its patent portfolio. Currently it has about 5,000 patents and seeks to at least double this number by the end of 2005."

4 of 246 comments (clear)

  1. Makes Sense? by RAMMS+EIN · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I think it makes sense. With alternatives to Microsoft products going strong, it is not in Microsoft's interest to standardize and create interoperability.

    You will see that, historically, standards supported or developed by Microsoft are mostly those that enable Microsoft products to work better, whereas support for standards that enable interoperability of MS products with other products has been lacking, if even considered at all.

    --
    Please correct me if I got my facts wrong.
  2. from the least-surprising-news-of-the-day dept by ink_polaroid · · Score: 5, Interesting

    If you even glance at UN/CEFACT's Mandate, it reads like a mission statement for GNU/Linux. Words like "inclusive", "help", and "free" (as in trade) won't inspire confidence up in Redmond.

  3. How is this different by downbad · · Score: 5, Interesting

    from when Sun withdrew from ISO/IEC and ECMA because they didn't want to give up any control over Java?

  4. Re:Nice! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

    That's interesting. This kind'a reminds me of how the USA is isolating themselves more and more.

    Does this mean that the USA is cutting its own throat too?