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Format Standards Committee "Grinds To a Halt"

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the collateral-damage dept.

Andy Updegrove writes "Microsoft's OOXML did not get enough votes to be approved the first time around in ISO/IEC — notwithstanding the fact that many countries joined the Document Format and Languages committee in the months before voting closed, almost all of them voting to approve OOXML. Unfortunately, many of these countries also traded up to 'P' level membership at the last minute to gain more influence. Now the collateral damage is setting in. At least 50% of P members must vote (up, down, or abstain) on every standard at each ballot — and none of the new members are bothering to vote, despite repeated pleas from the committee chair. Not a single ballot has passed since the OOXML vote closed. In the chairman's words, the committee has 'ground to a halt.' Sad to say, there's no end in sight for this (formerly) very busy and influential standards committee."

9 of 271 comments (clear)

  1. Re:In absentia by gurps_npc · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Declare everyone that did not vote to be hereby removed AND forbidden from upgrading to P class within a period of 5 years.

    --
    excitingthingstodo.blogspot.com
  2. I wonder if this isn't an intended byproduct... by DragonWriter · · Score: 3, Interesting

    ...of the MS efforts. Discrediting the standards process (and, by implication, the standards produced through it) is just as good, or better, for them then getting a spot as a second standard alongside ODF. If the standards bodies aren't credible, than the only "standard" that matters is "what's dominant in the marketplace today", and Microsoft has that locked up right now.

    1. Re:I wonder if this isn't an intended byproduct... by grcumb · · Score: 4, Interesting

      If the standards bodies aren't credible, than the only "standard" that matters is "what's dominant in the marketplace today", and Microsoft has that locked up right now.

      This tactic has been used in international negotiations in the past. A certain Last Remaining Superpower (who shall remain nameless) has done this with numerous international committees since about 2000. Even when they have no interest in the outcome of a given bit of work, they insist on joining the group and actively sabotaging it unless it meets their strategic priorities. It's not enough that it has nothing to do with them; unless these groups are actively supporting the Superpower's agenda, they are blocked and frustrated at the procedural level.

      It's not inconceivable that MS would use such tactics. But given the circumstances, I'm inclined to say that if that's what they intended, they could have done it much better. Ultimately, though, even I have trouble believing they could have planned such an outcome.

      --
      Crumb's Corollary: Never bring a knife to a bun fight.
  3. My Suggestion by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

    My suggestion is that we start calling it MS-ISO until steps are taken to clean up corruption and remove the overbearing Microsoft influence. Basically ISO now belongs to Microsoft in all but name, so lets name it as such. Making this new name popular will increase awareness of the problem.

    Might I also suggest that anyone who finds Microsoft's actions dispicable stop supporting their software? Don't give them your money, don't even pirate their software, it only encourages actions like this.

  4. That gives me an idea... by Spy+der+Mann · · Score: 3, Interesting

    OpenISO could just invite the members of ISO and effectively render ISO obsolete. They could abstain to vote on all ISO decisions and do everything through OpenISO. It may take a few million dollars to establish, but I say it's worth it.

  5. Re:I'm feeling in an anarchist mood today.... by Fallen+Kell · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Easy, buy an XBOX360 and don't buy any games.

    --
    We were all warned a long time ago that MS products sucked, remember the Magic 8 Ball said, "Outlook not so good"
  6. Test the waters by Eponymous+Bastard · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I wonder if they can issue a ballot to drop OOXML altogether, or delay its consideration until all outstanding ballots are resolved.

    If that turns out to be the only ballot responded they would have a much better case.

  7. Re:This is why.. by asuffield · · Score: 2, Interesting

    It is well known among the people who implement the protocols that if you implement TCP according to the standards, you get something that doesn't work on the internet. The RFCs are imperfect documentation of how things actually work - the details are more subtle.

  8. Re:I'm feeling in an anarchist mood today.... by Runefox · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I'm actually fairly certain that Microsoft is in the black on the 360 (even if just a little), whereas the PS3 is still selling in the red. Little things like sticking with DVD, software-emulated backwards compatibility and the like cut costs a lot for them. While Sony promised everything under the sun and attempted to deliver, they failed on most counts, and now they're cutting features from PS3 consoles (and pulling entire lines off the shelves) and making full 180 turnarounds on many issues that were once important/unimportant (such as backwards compatibility and rumble). Microsoft's 360, on the other hand, is adding features as time goes on, and not a single 360 SKU has been retired yet to my knowledge (though the Core will soon be replaced by the Arcade).

    So yeah, not the best way to bring down the MS giant. If only Sony and MS would exhaust themselves in a console war to such an extent that nobody could take either of them seriously any more, we'd be set.

    --
    Screw the rules, I have green hair!