Unix beardies sue BSI over OOXML
Dump the Vole or be damned
A BAND OF BRITISH Unix beardies has issued a High Court challenge over the national approval of Microsoft's OOXML document standard.
The UK Unix User Group has demanded a judicial review over the British Standard's Institute's backing of Microsoft's document standard in its application for fast-track approval by the International Standards Organisation.
The UKUUG has demanded the BSI withdraw its vote in support of Microsoft, and revisit its own decision again to back the software giant's standard.
The beardies maintain that the procedure by which the BSI decided to support Microsoft's standard was flawed, and that the ISO vote to fast-track OOXML was void.
They say that the BSI's own rules state that its support could only have been given if its own constituents had achieved a consensus opinion. But one of the five votes cast by the 17 March 2008 meeting of its IST/41 technical committee was opposed to OOXML, and substantially so, it says.
That opposition was said to have been provided by IBM.
They also say that the BSI's policy committee, which in September voiced concerns about supposed intellectual property restrictions enshrined in OOXML, had been prevented from advising on the March decision.
Reservations about OOXML on technical and intellectual property grounds should have prevented it from being fast-tracked, the beardies told the High Court. But even the ISO committee that vetted the standards application had not actually seen the document they were discussing, they said.
The BSI was unavailable for comment. µ
Comments
Typical Bone-Headed Behaviour by the British Establishment
Yet another example of the ruling elite in Britain acting corruptly. The answer? Simply ignore the kite whallahs by ignoring OOXML until it becomes non-proprietary (if ever).It's so much easier is it to download Open Office (http://openoffice.org/) for free than to pay the M$ tax.
I was in Curry's a couple of weeks ago wanting to buy a laptop. I asked if it was possible to buy one without Vista. I was told in stern terms by the sales assistant that it was not. I replied in stern terms that I would be making my purchase elsewhere and promptly bought a non-M$ machine online.
We can Vote with our feet and our wallets :-)
MS is short for Monopoly Standards
You can't ignore it Albert Mun, when the BSI approves it all government departments will start using it, which means that you have to also if you deal with the government, they are with many and have some push.Also 10 people walking out of a shop doesn't impact when 50000 don't, and that's the reality of it I fear.
the ISO committee that vetted the standards application had not actually seen the document they were discussing,
Is that true?It seems unlikely - why would they vote to approve a standard they'd never seen?
British Corruption
Oh, my! I didn't realize that BSI = government directive. That's downright insidious.M$ must be greasing someone's palm.
Unbiased article?!
Unix beardies ... What a Crock!As for Fast tracking by MS, this shouldn't be allowed.
How tiresome to see once again, the company with the most expensive lawyers gets to push it's standards rather than being selected for the best product.
All about the $$$ once again.