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MS Awarded "Best Campaigner Against OOXML"

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the pull-gun-aim-at-foot-pull-trigger dept.

HansF writes "Microsoft itself is the surprise winner of the FFII's Kayak Prize 2007, offered by the FFII in its call for rejection of Microsoft's OOXML standards proposal. The software monopolist is honored as 'Best Campaigner against OOXML Standardization.' FFII president Pieter Hintjens explains, 'We could never have done this by ourselves. By pushing so hard to get OOXML endorsed, even to the point of loading the standards boards in Sweden, Denmark, Switzerland, Portugal, Italy, and beyond, Microsoft showed to the world how poor their format is. Good standards just don't need that kind of pressure. All together, countries made over ten thousands technical comments, a new world record for an ISO vote. Microsoft made a heroic — and costly — effort to discredit their own proposal, and we're sincerely grateful to them.'" If Microsoft doesn't send a representative to claim their 2500-Euro prize at the FFII General Assembly in November, FFII will give the money to Peruvian earthquake relief.

4 of 190 comments (clear)

  1. I wouldn't be too smug by earthforce_1 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    They nearly won, and it isn't over yet - there is another vote coming up in Februrary.

    --
    My rights don't need management.
  2. The medium is the message by DeepBlueDiver · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I'd figured that since the vast majority of companies I've seen haven't (yet) started to migrate to Office 2007 then maybe sending .docx fils to everyone might not be such a smart move. Each time MS releases a new Office version, many corporate assholes^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H managers set a policy of using the new format on any communication. They don't care if you can't read the content, in fact, they hope you cant.

    Their message is "I am cool. I use the newest stuff. My dick is bigger than yours".
  3. Re:A ploy? by allthingscode · · Score: 5, Insightful

    History only partially backs you up on this one. Remember Microsoft's numerous attempts to define a networking standard so that they could crush the TCP/IP network protocol? NetBUI anyone?

    But yes, it can be hard to overcome the market leader. But, then again, if Microsoft were really sure that they controlled the market, why go through the trouble of standardizing? Because large parts of the world were looking elsewhere, especially governments.

  4. Re:Vista makes me smile. by suv4x4 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Just the same, I don't feel smug about how easily they damaged ISO. When I want to feel smug, I contemplate Vista's failure and what that means for the whole next generation of M$ crap and lock in.

    I'm not sure why it looks "easily" to corrupt ISO to you. It did take a lot of effort behind the scenes, give them credit where it's due.