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Brazil Appeals OOXML Decision

Posted by timothy on from the this-space-reserved-for-obscure-xml dept.

I Don't Believe in Imaginary Property writes "Brazil is now appealing the ISO's decision to standardize OOXML, following South Africa's lead. Interestingly, part of the reason this took so long was that Microsoft supporters at the meetings kept asking for delays because they 'weren't prepared' to discuss the issues raised. And the ISO as a whole is moving rather slowly, after that delay in releasing the DIS. But at least the ISO is also rewriting the directives in a special working group so this doesn't happen again. Of course, they'd have to be strict about making sure the directives are followed for it to help."

4 of 129 comments (clear)

  1. Approve the M$ format - One Condition by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

    They should approve the M$ format OOXML under one condition and one condition alone. M$ must place GPL all of their source code and file formats. Hold on, M$ doesn't want to do that, then all of ther assets need to be seized by the governments of the world and given to the open-sorce community. M$ should cease to exist.
    --
    Friends don't help friends install M$ junk.
    Friends help friends end the tyranny from
    corporations who distribute non-free $oftware.

    1. Re:Approve the M$ format - One Condition by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Troll

      "They should approve the M$ format OOXML under one condition and one condition alone. M$ must place GPL all of their source code and file formats."

      And just why should they do that? If being open source was a requirement of the ISO process then yes, but it's not.

      Get over it already, it's done.

  2. Re:first post! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

    Since there are already open source implementations of OOXML (the ECMA version, at least), your comment is meaningless. Or maybe it's not, and anti-OOXML (read, "anti-Microsoft") folks in Brazil lied to Brazilian officials that being pro-OOXML standardization is equivalent to being anti-open source, which is a flat out lie.

  3. Re:Explanation plz by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

    The problem is that a lot of people think that OOXML really isn't open, for a variety of reasons which you've probably heard of This is the part where most arguments peter out... I've not been able to find concrete examples of why OOXML isn't open. Can you point to some references?

    Likewise the bodies that decided that they needed to move away from non open non standards based formats did so for a functional reason. If the OOXML format does not meet their needs then surely the same process they undertook to expose the need for open documentation will expose the weaknesses inherent to OOXML?

    At the end of the day there still is another standards based format that is completely free...