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If This Was a Month Ago, OOXML Would Be Over

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the games-of-corporate-chess dept.

Andy Updegrove writes "Public announcements of how Participating members of ISO have voted on OOXML are now rolling in one at a time, and the trend thus far is meaningfully weighted towards 'No with comments.' By my count, there are now four announced Yes votes, with comments, two abstentions, and seven public No with comments votes for OOXML in ISO/IEC JT1. Korea has reportedly voted no as well, and I expect at least Canada, Japan and the United Kingdom to announce 'No with comments' today or tomorrow. There will be more no votes on the roster when the final results are announced in a day or two. But even if the 11 votes I know of now were the only votes, the vote would now have failed — but for the 11 countries that upgraded their status from Observer to Participating member status in the last few weeks. Without those extra 11 'P' countries, it would only require 10 votes to block OOXML from immediate approval. If most or all of those additional 'P' members vote 'yes' as expected, it will confirm suspicions that Microsoft has promoted extra votes in favor of OOXML not only within National Bodies, but within ISO itself."

10 of 230 comments (clear)

  1. Help me out by heinousjay · · Score: 3, Funny

    Do we want this voted down? I haven't kept up with the newsletter.

    --
    Slashdot - where whining about luck is the new way to make the world you want.
    1. Re:Help me out by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      I thought is was something like:

      Short answer: Yes. Long answer: Yes, with comments.

    2. Re:Help me out by rishistar · · Score: 2, Funny

      Short Answer: Yes

      Long Answer: Could someone from MS please get back to me with $50,000?

      --
      Professor Karmadillo Songs of Science
  2. Re:OOXML has failed, but it isn't over. by Black+Parrot · · Score: 4, Funny

    If the comments are resolved to the voter's satisfaction, the "no" vote can be changed to a "yes". Can comments be of the form "I would need more money in order to vote 'yes'"?
    --
    Sheesh, evil *and* a jerk. -- Jade
  3. redundant tag by v1 · · Score: 4, Funny

    we really need a "shameless" tag, but with microsoft I think that already goes without saying. They're not hiding in the shadows on this, they're grinning like a skunk eating manure.

    --
    I work for the Department of Redundancy Department.
  4. Mod parent by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Funny

    +1 funny

  5. Re:OOXML has failed, but it isn't over. by skoaldipper · · Score: 3, Funny

    That would be wonderful if true. It might even be so, but almost three decades of observing Microsoft leaves me skeptical.
    When your dad says, "Quick, come here, son. I just jammed my hand. Pull my finger." After 30 years of pranks, can we not at least oblige the old man, just this one time, that he might be telling the truth? I say, yes. Trust him. Pull that finger. Just brace yourself for any repercussions.
    --
    I hope, when they die, cartoon characters have to answer for their sins.
  6. Re:trademark infringement? by CastrTroy · · Score: 3, Funny

    Does this mean I can create a product called SoftMicro Windows, and SoftMicro Office, without fear of getting sued by Microsoft?

    --

    Anthropic principle: We see the universe the way it is because if it were different we would not be here to see it.
  7. Re:Anti-Trust Case again... here we come! by MightyMartian · · Score: 2, Funny

    I say the people need to slap M$ with Anti-Trust on this one.


    Ah, but you see, it was business partners and errant employees. Microsoft would never sanction undermining a major international standards association to get an utterly unusable document certified as a standard.
    --
    The world's burning. Moped Jesus spotted on I50. Details at 11.
  8. Re:I'm cancelling my holiday to Costa Rica by Tanuki64 · · Score: 2, Funny

    Can anyone explain me why those countries voted "yes" ? Take Cuba... MS is not allowed to sell licenses there due to the USA governement childish rules.
    Oh, the decision of Cuba is easily explained: Hatred. Who do you think will suffer most if the abomination becomes a standard? Cuba or the western world, which can afford licences?