[odf-discuss] Gnome, Ecma, and what governments (and FOSS?) should have done

[Jody Goldberg]

On Thu, Nov 01, 2007 at 10:44:18AM +0100, M. Fioretti wrote:
> 
> *BUT* it is the way it is happening, that is inside the
> standardization process, that is de-facto helping them to get ISO
> labels, that seems wrong and really counterproductive to me.

MS was forced to submit their spec for standardisation as
    the MS Office file format.
It it only by operating through the standardisation process
that we get the opportunity to ask questions.  In practical terms
that meant joining TC45 and asking the questions over several
months, or join a national body (SC34 in my case) and sending in a
massive batch for consideration with all the other national bodies.
The former seemed more likely to produce results.

> 3) You (Microsoft) created this mess with existing files, you clean it
>    up, that is: if you want to be allowed to bid for future public
>    contracts, BESIDES being compliant with point 2 you must ALSO, at
>    YOUR expenses, pay experts like Jody that help you to document all
>    what is needed to free the EXISTING documents. And without any
>    expectation that all this documentation ever becomes a standard at
>    ISO or any other level, since it's ONLY relevant to clean up old
>    files (a standard that specifies how things SHOULD HAVE BEEN
>    DONE??? Now that's ridiculous, isn't it?)
 
A wonderful thought, but we're more likely to meet the easter bunny.
Additionally, I'm already gainfully employed, but thank you for the
thought.