[FSFE PR][EN] FSFE context briefing: Interoperability woes with MS-OOXML

Free Software Foundation Europe press at fsfeurope.org
Wed Mar 5 11:15:55 CET 2008


	FSFE context briefing: Interoperability woes with MS-OOXML

FSFE has released a context briefing that highlights three examples of
how the proposed MS-OOXML specification and its practical implementation
in MS Office 2007 hinders interoperability, fosters vendor dependence
and results in market distortion.  The proposed MS-OOXML/DIS29500
specification continues to raise serious technical and legal concerns.

At the recent ISO Ballot Resolution Meeting for the proposed
specification more than 1,000 technical concerns and proposed
dispositions required discussion.  Participants were only able to
discuss between 20 to 30 dispositions and to accept approximately 200
minor editorial corrections in the allocated time.  Around 900
dispositions were not addressed.

"The standardisation process is being tested quite extensively by this,"
says Shane Coughlan, FSFE's legal coordinator.  "It is important that
standards are open and do not exclude anyone.  Interoperability and
access are not optional components of a fair digital society."

FSFE's perspective is that there is only one reasonable response by
national bodies: move DIS29500 out of the FastTrack process by voting
“DISAPPROVE, with comments” and suggest methods of handling the proposed
specification through the normal ISO process, ideally by convergence
into ISO/IEC 26300, the Open Document Format (ODF).

For more information see:
  http://fsfeurope.org/documents/msooxml-interoperability

Download a PDF copy of the context briefing (1.3M):
  http://fsfeurope.org/documents/msooxml-interoperability.pdf


About the Free Software Foundation Europe:

The Free Software Foundation Europe (FSFE) is a non-profit
non-governmental organisation active in many European countries and
involved in many global activities. Access to software determines
participation in a digital society. To secure equal participation in the
information age, as well as freedom of competition, the Free Software
Foundation Europe (FSFE) pursues and is dedicated to the furthering of
Free Software, defined by the freedoms to use, study, modify and copy.
Founded in 2001, creating awareness for these issues, securing Free
Software politically and legally, and giving people Freedom by
supporting development of Free Software are central issues of the FSFE.

Contact:
You can reach the FSFE switchboard from:
Belgium: 	+32 2 747 03 57
Germany: 	+49 700 373 38 76 73
Sweden: 	+46 31 7802160
Switzerland: 	+41 43 500 03 66
UK: 		+44 29 200 08 17 7

Media contact: Shane Coughlan, FTF Coordinator, FSFE extension: 408
mobile: +41792633406

Further information: http://fsfeurope.org





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