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UK Agency Files OOXML Complaint, EU Demurs

Posted by kdawson on from the we-know-we-know-already dept.

Christopher Blanc writes to let us know that although BECTA, the British Educational Communications and Technology Agency, has filed a complaint with EU regulators about Microsoft's business practices, the European Commission won't be doing anything particular about it. BECTA claimed that the OOXML format discourages competition. BECTA lodged a similar complaint with the UK Office of Fair Trading last October. A Commission press officer said, "We are already looking into the issues raised in that complaint already and we are not treating it as a formal complaint to us."

5 of 132 comments (clear)

  1. Pay off. by sigterm9 · · Score: 3, Funny

    Wonder what its going to take in order to make it a "formal" complaint. Maybe attach a tazer to that complaint to get some attention from someone there. Or the Microsoft way, just pay the person to make it formal right?

  2. Trasform teaching? by Gat0r30y · · Score: 4, Funny

    Microsoft insisted that it is "deeply committed" to education and interoperability. More schools are upgrading to Windows Vista and Office 2007 as they recognize the benefit of "embracing technology to transform teaching and learning," I'm not sure I want teaching to get transformed like this. It doesn't sound pleasant.
    --
    Prediction: The real iPhone killer is going to be sex robots from Japan. Think about it.
    1. Re:Trasform teaching? by DoofusOfDeath · · Score: 4, Funny

      I'm not sure I want teaching to get transformed like this. It doesn't sound pleasant.

      Actually, it's a time-honoured approach to teaching. In ancient Greece it was widespread for teachers to bugger their young students.

    2. Re:Trasform teaching? by Repton · · Score: 2, Funny

      [student raises his hand] "Miss! I'm requesting permission to go to the toilet. Cancel or allow?"

      [teacher sighs] "Allow ... but be quick!"

      --
      Repton.
      They say that only an experienced wizard can do the tengu shuffle.
  3. Re:Yes, Prime Minister by MadMidnightBomber · · Score: 2, Funny

    A tourist is wandering down Whitehall and seems to be looking for something. He asks a policeman, "Excuse me, which side is the Foreign Office on?"

    The policeman looks confused. "Er, ours I think."

    --
    "It doesn't cost enough, and it makes too much sense."