[odf-discuss] FW: MS OOXML Fast Track standard

[Jerry Askew]

I just received the below in response to my letter (also attached.)  If
you follow the link to the ITIC web page
((http://www.incits.org/DIS29500/DIS29500.htm), you can see a list of
all of the letters submitted.  I see several names that I recognize from
the ILTA listserv.
 
Note - I edited out the e-mail addresses and phone numbers as a courtesy
to avoid spam harvesting from the archives.  If you need the info for
any reason, just let me now.
 
-Jerry

________________________________

From: Garner, Jennifer [mailto:jgarner at itic.org] 
Sent: Saturday, January 27, 2007 4:36 PM
To: Jerry Askew
Cc: Rajchel, Lisa; Desautels, Sara; angel.lopezsolanas  AT wipo.int
Subject: RE: MS OOXML Fast Track standard



Jerry -

 

Your contribution (in070169.htm - attached) was not received in time for
consideration at the January 23-25 INCITS EB meeting, however, it has
been posted to a comment page on our web site
(http://www.incits.org/DIS29500/DIS29500.htm) and will be considered by
INCITS/V1 during the committee's development of the proposed US vote on
DIS 29500.

 

Thanks for your interest in this matter.

 

Best regards -

 

Jennifer T. Garner
Associate Director, Standards Programs
INCITS/Information Technology Industry Council
website: www.incits.org <http://www.incits.org/> 

________________________________

From: Jerry Askew [mailto:jerry at askew.net] 
Sent: Tuesday, January 23, 2007 7:14 PM
To: Rajchel, Lisa; Garner, Jennifer; Desautels, Sara; angel.lopezsolanas
AT wipo.int
Subject: MS OOXML Fast Track standard

 

Hello,

 

I do hope that I am sending this to the correct people.  I am a
technology consultant who works primarily for law firms.  As an
industry, providers of legal services are concerned about standards
pertaining to document formats.

 

Earlier this month the ECMA International standards group submitted a
standard for "fast-track" ISO approval. That is the "Ecma 376 Office
Open XML" standard. (ISO/IEC DIS 29500)

 

Ecma-376 is a (proposed) standard for "word-processing
documents,presentations, and spreadsheets" which overlaps completely
with an existing, approved, standard ISO/IEC 26300:2006 (openDocument
(ODF)). Therefore it conflicts directly with ISO's goal of having one
standard for any area.

 

Furthermore, this specification is so complex (>6,000 pages) and
vendor-specific that it can only be successfully implemented by
Microsoft Office (the application on which it is modeled).

 

The numerous concerns over Ecma 376, as pertaining ISO approval, are
summarized here: http://www.grokdoc.net/index.php/EOOXML_objections.

 

The page lists many contradictions in Ecma 376 as defined by the ISO
rules.

 

The initial review period ends in two weeks, on February 5th. If none of
the "P-Members" of the ISO/IEC JTC1 (Joint Technical Committee 1) raise
a "contradiction", the specification will go through the "fast-track"
process towards ISO approval.

 

I believe, and I hope that you will agree, that this standard should not
be allowed "fast-track" approval. Rather it should be remanded to Ecma
International for: (i) harmonization with ISO/IEC 26300:2006 and
numerous other standards.

 

Thank you

 

-Jerry

Askew Network Solutions

http://www.askew.net <http://www.askew.net/> 

 

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