John Pugh, MP, Rides to the Rescue
,----[ Quote ]
| Dear Mr Low,
|
| I am deeply concerned that some national bodies have considered approving
| DIS29500 "in their national interest".
|
| It is not in the interest of the UK or any other country for DIS 29500 to be
| published as an international standard in its present form as there are a
| significant number of unresolved issues, including incompatible licensing
| conditions, single vendor interest and control as well as those other
| factors uncovered since the original comment period closed. There is also the
| issue that is no current form of DIS 29500, as yet another exception to the
| process was made regarding the presentation of the proposed changes.
|
| Issues raised by the BSI and others during the original 30 day objections
| phase have also never been properly addressed, not least of which is the
| unsuitability of such a large and complex specification of an unproven format
| to the fast track process.
|
| Such a standard, if approved, would govern the manipulation of all future
| documents and lock users into a single supplier environment. The OOXML
| specification contains significant Intellectual Property Rights and other
| traps which will:
|
| - Stifle competition
|
| - Diminish innovation overall
|
| - Severely restrict consumer choice
|
| - Block Government choice
|
| - Limit the ability of UK SMEs to innovate and compete
`----
http://www.computerworlduk.com/community/blogs/index.cfm?entryid=654
Also from around the globe:
FOSSFA Urges African Nations to Abstain in OOXML Ballot
,----[ Quote ]
| FOSSFA made the call to encourage public involvement in the open standards
| debate at the national level throughout Africa in a statement following a
| conference in Dakar, Senegal, that ended last week.
`----
http://www.cio.com/article/208100/FOSSFA_Urges_African_Nations_to_Abstain_in_OOXML_Ballot
No comments
,----[ Quote ]
| (snip) Venezuela wishes to modify its position on DIS 29500 (snip)
| (snip) from Approval with comments to Disapproval with comments.
`----
http://blog.bureado.com.ve/?p=450
Yesterday:
How many bricks for 67Bricks?
,----[ Quote ]
| Inigo Surguy, the 67 Bricks Chief Technologist, was appointed Principal UK
| Expert in Microsoft’s Office Open XML (OOXML) document format by the British
| Standards Institute technical committee responsible for British and
| international XML standards.
|
| 67Bricks is part of the Microsoft Empower programme.
`----
http://www.noooxml.org/forum/t-49516/how-many-bricks-for-67bricks
Related:
Lawmaker blasts U.K. government on Microsoft policy
,----[ Quote ]
| A member of Parliament of the United Kingdom has launched a stinging
| attack on the U.K. government's IT strategy, saying that it has given
| Microsoft too much control.
`----
http://www.news.com/Lawmaker-blasts-U.K.-government-on-Microsoft-policy/2100-1012_3-6212721.html
BBC Corrupted
,----[ Quote ]
| Today the BBC made it official -- they have been corrupted by Microsoft. With
| today's launch of the iPlayer, the BBC Trust has failed in its most basic of
| duties and handed over to Microsoft sole control of the on-line distribution
| of BBC programming. From today, you will need to own a Microsoft operating
| system to view BBC programming on the web. This is akin to saying you must
| own a Sony TV set to watch BBC TV. And you must accept the Digital
| Restrictions Management (DRM) that the iPlayer imposes. You simply cannot be
| allowed to be in control of your computer according to the BBC.
`----
http://defectivebydesign.org/blog/BBCcorrupted
|
|
