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OOXML Critic Fired From Finnish Standards Board

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the don't-get-caught-saying-what-you-think dept.

Shirke writes "A Finnish computer magazine reports that Finnish Standards Association has fired Mr. Lassi Nirhamo (article in Finnish). Some excerpts: Mr. Nirhamo was chairing the OOXML standard proposal meeting. During the meeting Mr. Nirhamo asked other board members to be excused of his duties and voice his opinion as a private citizen. After this was granted he criticized the standard proposal and resumed his duties as chairman. Mr. Nirhamo has now been let go due to a 'lack of trust.' Independent observers have assessed his chairmanship as 'excellent' and 'one of a kind.' The Association is accepting applications for the position. Anyone interested?"

3 of 200 comments (clear)

  1. Stacking the committee by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Troll

    MS has been able to get US federal judges replaced. So, of course it has no problem replacing the chair of SFS. MS knows that the specification can never be approved if given technical consideration, so they must game the process. Finland's no different than Sweden and the otyher countries where corruption occurred, the language barrier means that it just takes longer to find quislings.

  2. Re:Qué? by wanderingknight · · Score: 1, Troll

    I'm sure you mean finlandés :P

  3. Re:I can tell you've never been involved with ISO! by truesaer · · Score: 1, Troll
    Standards bodies are basically about politics. They're like mini congresses or parliaments, and you have to work together with many people to get consensus on issues. This requires a very careful approach to what you say, gentle persuasion, etc.


    It sounds to me like this guy wasn't going to be very good at his job. Making a shocking and embarassing public pronouncement while trying to hide behind "just being a citizen" is basically proof that he was not the right guy for the job. I don't see the controversy.