M$ should just have been pointed at ODF and told "We already have one. Use that. If it doesn't do what you need, then work with the other participants to improve that standard. Application rejected. Goodbye."

Office Open XML is a travesty. It's not even coherent or consistent within itself!

The usual complaint is that it's Sun's format, and even that's somewhat wide of the mark.

"I'm shocked, shocked to find that gambling is going on in here!"

Not that IBM would ever stoop to trying to get a proprietary system recognised as a standard - no sirree, Bob ...

IBMs response is as it should be. The fact that it's "Microsoft's" OOXML document format is self explanatory. The ISO has invalidated itself with it's action on this and must be replaced. Start another organization.

The answer to start a new standards organization because one standard you don't like was accepted is a knee jerk reaction at best. This is one small instance in a marred history where Microsoft took the right approach in getting OOXML as a standard whether people wanted Microsoft involved in setting standards or not (most people don't want them setting standards simply because of who they are and their track record, and that's not the right reason... there are many valid arguments that can be made in regards to the specific format but global rejection based off of their stigma as the bad guy isn't one of them).

This power play is really no different than what everybody has complained of Microsoft doing in the past. If it was wrong then with M$, then it's wrong now with IBM/Sun, otherwise, it's a contradiction that shows clear bias.

Ditch OOXML - it's an incomplete, inconsistent sack of wet turds. I will never send anyone an OOXML file, or read one I receive. ODF is fine.

So, like the title says, IBM are getting another thumbs up. Only a few thousand to go before the ups outnumber the downs they've earned in my book over the past few years with Lotus Notes.

Quote from tempemeaty "The ISO has invalidated itself with it's action on this and must be replaced. Start another organization."

Hmmm I know lets just throw all the beneficial work of decades of standardisation and reinvent the wheel, just because of a petty little argument over a couple of XML based document formats. Wow that's smart, that will really help everyone won't it.

Spend a little bit of time actually looking at what ISO does and realise how small a section IT has in the grand scheme of things - http://www.iso.org/iso/iso_catalogue/catalogue_tc.htm

Mines the one with ISO 263 in the pocket

"IBM uses the open source spec OpenDocumentFormat (ODF)"

ISO/IEC 26300:2006 (ODF) is an open specification. Software implementing that specification may be 'open source' or proprietary.

There is no such thing as an 'open source specification'.

"Spend a little bit of time actually looking at what ISO does and realise how small a section IT has in the grand scheme of things."

Pre - f*cking -cisely. The ISO isn't that concerned with IT standards and clearly isn't very good at it. So.... set up a new body that IS concerned, IS open about procedures and IS some good at it.

The ONLY qualification for a standards body is that it is respected by the bodies in its area of expertise. they don't have any status beyond this. Not professional or academical and certainly not legal. They are in fact a de facto standard.

By ratifying two standards, one that works and one that MS wants to work. One that passes muster and one that passes as fast track (explicitly for existing de facto standards) even though it isn't actually implemented shows the ISO cannot be trusted. It has lost the respect of the community. They had a cance to redeem them selves and blew it.

They may be great in other areas but don't have the respect of the IT community therefore they are no longer a standards body. Get rid.

We can all agree that the world of Standards Organizations could use some updating...however, it is awfully naive to think that IBM is really interested in simply trying to give the world a "better" standards system that is more open and transparent. If they were, they wouldn't be writing up the new rules under the cover of darkness with a closed door meeting.

IBM has been trying to leverage its 50 year dominance over standards bodies into an effective business strategy. Standardize, Lobby for Mandates, Hand it Over to Government Sales. IBM wants to "improve" standards policies to benefit that business strategy.

http://blog.actonline.org/2008/09/only-ibm-would.html