[Linux-aus] Standards Australia's letter to JTC1 about ECMA 376

[Jonathan Oxer]

Hi LA,

Below is an email forwarded to me by Dan Shearer about a request from
Standards Australia for "technical expert" input into Microsoft's
application for fast-track ratification of the "Office Open XML" format.

What? Microsoft wants ratification of Open Office's XML-based document
format as a standard? No, read it again: that's *not* the OOo / ODT
format! It's just another of their "muddying the waters" moves: dress up
the next version of .DOC with a name that's confusingly similar to ODT,
then get it ratified as a standard to bypass all the recent "we'll only
allow ratified standard document format" policies being introduced
around the world to allow entry of ODT into government departments.

Standards Australia looks to be very much on our side with this issue
but they need our help. They're objecting to the fast-track proposal and
requesting clarification on a number of points, so this is our chance to
submit expert testimony to support Standards Australia's objections.

If open formats are as important to you as open source then please
contact Standards Australia and offer your input into Microsoft's
application. There's not much time because Microsoft requested a
fast-track process (I wonder why?) when they submitted the 6000 page
application for assessment.

OK people. You know what to do. Sic em!

Cheers   :-)

Jonathan Oxer
+61 3 9723 9399

> ----- Forwarded message from Jean Hollis Weber <jeanweber at gmail.com> -----
> 
> Date: Wed, 14 Feb 2007 15:36:17 +1000
> From: Jean Hollis Weber <jeanweber at gmail.com>
> Subject: [odf-members] Standards Australia's letter to JTC1 about ECMA 376
> To: ODF Members <odf-members at opendocumentfellowship.org>
> Reply-To: ODF Members List <odf-members at opendocumentfellowship.org>
> User-Agent: Thunderbird 1.5.0.9 (X11/20070104)
> 
> I just received this email from Standards Australia. I have put the
> referenced attachment (the letter to JTC1) here:
> http://friendsofopendocument.com/resources/SA_OOXML_response_final.pdf
> 
> Mr Tegart invites recipients to indicate if they are "interested in
> participating as a technical expert in this area of work". I have no
> technical expertise (indeed, very little knowledge) in this area. Is anyone
> else (in Australia) available?
> 
> --Jean