[odf-discuss] Private deal to approve OOXML? More evidence surfaces

[robert_weir at us.ibm.com]

Sander Marechal wrote on 04/11/2008 02:56:44 AM:

> robert_weir at us.ibm.com wrote:
> > Second, the resolution starts off with the assertion : "SC 34 is the
> > JTC 1 designated maintenance body for ISO/IEC 29500 (Office Open XML
> > file formats)".   However merely stating it does not make it true.
> > Only JTC1 can designate a maintenance group for a Fast Track, and I
> > have seen no JTC1 discussion or vote on the matter.
> 
> Wasn't Microsoft pushing to get maintenance of OOXML into Ecma?
> 
> http://www.jtc1sc34.org/repository/0885.pdf
> 
> It makes sense (for MS). MS would have much more control of OOXML inside 

> ECMA than it would have inside JTC1. This makes it much easier to 
> prevent changes to ISO/EIC 29500 that would make it incompatible with 
> MS-Office 2007.
> 

And this has not been precluded.  All SC34 is doing right now is studying 
the question of OOXML maintenance.   In the end they could still adopt the 
Microsoft proposal.

I can only see this ending in one of two ways:

1) Effective control is handed back over to Ecma

2) or, control remains with SC34, but Microsoft ignores it and does their 
own thing in Office 14, ignoring SC34

I'm guess #2.  Office 2007 already ignores much of OOXML.  Office 14 is 
close to being released in beta form.  And if MS ignores OOXML, then so 
will Novell and Sun.  All SC34 has is a handful of dust. 


-Rob
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