Re: [xml-dev] Microsoft buys the Swedish vote on OOXML?

["Rick Jelliffe" <rjelliffe@allette.com.au>]

Dennis Sosnoski said:
> Thanks, Rick.
>
> Ok, so there are some idiots out there making up stuff. I hate to see
> that sort of thing, because it makes anyone who's against the approval
> of OOXML also look like an idiot.

I think there are many good points coming out of this ISO process. People
now better understand standards and their voluntary rather than legal
basis. They understand more that the standards process is geared to
reaching win/win rather than blocking technologies we don't like. They
understand that there are commercial and idealogical parties involved who
sometimes play hard, but that the process calmly continues on. They
understand that it is not the loudest voice that carries the day. They
understand that a standard is an agreement made by stakeholders because
there is a market demand (from stakeholders who think that the standard
would be useful), regardless of what their competitors and detractors say.
They understand that a standard forms part of a library of possible
solutions. They understand that a standard has IP implications. They
understand that a standard is a document first and technology or brand
second. They understand that not all standards are open standards. They
understand that the ISO process allows (but does not guarantee) a kind of
international review that is missing from any other standards process.
They understand that it is really a major effort for commercial interests
to get the kind of influence in decision making for ISO votes that they
can take for granted on the boutique bodies like OASIS, Ecma, W3C.  They
understand that there are a variety of standards organizations each with
their own strengths and weaknesses. Etc. etc.  Or so I hope. Mr Glass
Half-Full.

On the idiots. A parrot cannot be blamed for being a parrot. But the
people who remove their clothes and glues on green feathers and a beak are
parrots by choice, not even by laziness.

> I look forward to finding out the results of the ISO vote, and
> (hopefully) also finding out the details of what did take place in Sweden.

Yes. I would not be surprised if there were not more things. As I think I
said, trying to co-ordinate a company party line between more than 50
countries with different languages and cultures is difficult, and creating
a climate of suspicion is a great tactic for spin.