[A2k] Re: [Ecommerce] Info- British Agency Shows Concern Over Microsoft’s Interoperability

[Jeffrey A. Williams]

Manon and all,

  It is,and for some months now been very clear that OOXML
is definately not an open file format, but rather a MS
desired file format.  It has also been fairly clear that
the majority of the EU is substancially against OOXML
as a open standard or an ISO standard as well.  It also
has been known for many years that the ISO is,andhas been
susceptable to financial pressures and influence in an
improper manner.  Ergo leaving the ISO as a questionable
standards body.

-----Original Message-----
>From: Manon Ress <manon.ress@keionline.org>
>Sent: May 14, 2008 11:09 AM
>To: ecommerce@lists.essential.org, a2k discuss list <a2k@lists.essential.o=
rg>
>Subject: [Ecommerce] Info- British Agency Shows Concern Over Microsoft�=
��s Interoperability
>
>--
>[ Picked text/plain from multipart/alternative ]
>Thanks to David Banisar for pointer.
>
>Subject: Info- British Agency Shows Concern Over Microsoft’s
>Interoperability
>
>http://www.efluxmedia.com/news_British_Agency_Shows_Concern_Over_Microsoft=
s_Interoperability_17560.html
>
>British Agency Shows Concern Over Microsoft’s Interoperability
>
>The British Educational Communications and Technology Agency (BECTA)
>has filed a complaint to the European Commission regarding Microsoft�=
�s
>new file format, Open Office XML. The controversy issued over the fact
>that products of other companies are working poorly with the new OOXML.
>BECTA is interested to find out whether the software giant has
>withheld information from its competitors on purpose. The issue is
>even more interesting since it is possible that some improper
>influence has been exerted over the International Standard
>Organization (ISO) to accept OOXML as a standard together with the
>older Open Document Format, a file format that was developed by Sun
>Microsystems and that has its full specifications made public.
>
>The British commission has asserted that because of Microsoft
>products’ lack of interoperability, the British Educational System=
 is
>paying more money on software products than it should. In 2005, the
>same commission published a study according to which British primary
>schools could save up to half their costs if they would choose open
>source software products, and give up the proprietary ones.
>
>Another issue raised by the commission is the way Microsoft licenses
>its products to the schools. The company’s policy is that all
>computers in a campus must have Microsoft license. BECTA has
>considered this an anticompetitive practice.
>
>According to the Associated Press, Microsoft’s spokeswoman Anne-So=
phie
>de Brancion stated that “Microsoft is deeply committed to educatio=
n
>and interoperability”, and that the company has started to develop
>tools that will enable Office to work better with files in ODF.
>
>
>
>**************************************************************************=
*
>Manon Ress
>manon.ress@keionline.org,
>
>1621 Connecticut Ave, NW, Washington, DC 20009 USA
>Tel.:  +1.202.332.2670, Fax: +1.202.332.2673
>
>
>
>
>
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Regards,

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