I would consider the post as spam.
That said, I'm not sure that I fully understand the issue with MS
wishing to register OOXML as an ISO standard; wouldn't that require MS
to fully publish all specifications regarding the protocol/software and
maintain that on a regular basis?
Being from the networking and computing world I do understand the
complexities of localized flavors of protocols; Japan vs the world was a
good example of this: JNA vs SNA, J25 vs X.25 etc., (I'm showing my age)
but in the end the ISO and other international standards prevailed and
Japan eventually had to either conform or simply not communicate with
the rest of the world. Interestingly enough, Japan is now the leader in
high speed data connections to the home, and for the most part now
adhere to international standards.
Perhaps the ODF vs the OOXML standard is akin to the Betamax vs VHS of
past. Those formats didn't have an ISO body to contend with in that
fight, and eventually one (VHS) won out over the other.
Personally I don't advocate one over the other; as an application user
I'd simply like to see documented standards so that when I use an
application it can appropriately interpret the application interface and
use it. Perhaps my POV is simplistic and uninformed, but at this point I
really don't understand what the overall issue is regarding MS seeking
ISO standardization/certification. In the past were I to look up an
electrical or network interface, an ASCII/UTF-8/ or character layout,
etc., I could/can simply look up the standard and apply it because it is
accepted, documented, published, and specified down to the bits and
bytes. Wouldn't MS's OOXML be the same if it were accepted by the ISO?
The issue would be that, in order for any legitimate body to accept it,
it would have to be substantially rewritten. What MS has released so
far is an incomprehensible mess that no one can follow. It might come
down to political pressure (as someone else has already suggested)
trumping the public good.
re. Beta vs. VHS: in that case it was marketing trumping technology.
Beta could deliver 4.5 hours of good quality video while VHS could only
deliver 2. However VHS introduced a 6 hour variation (the video quality
was pitiful) and sold it based on that benchmark. No one ever lost money
underestimating the public. :)
We don't want a repeat of Beta v. VHS simply because technological
superiority plays almost no role when you let the market decide. And I
have little faith in ISO - after all they gave us ISO 9000 standards and
the OSI network model.
However, I have even less faith in online petitions. Lobby your local
politicians if you want to make an impact. Signing an online petition
has about as much impact as the effort it takes to sign it (i.e. none).
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