Office Open XML on fast track

Stephen Withers
Friday, 06 April 2007 04:34

Business IT - Technology

Despite contradictions from 20 countries, the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) has fast-tracked the Office Open XML proposed standard into a ballot process that will end in early September.

The move follows a one-month period when national standards bodies had the chance to review and comment on the proposed standard - all 6000 pages of it.

In an apparent attempt at astroturfing, Microsoft UK is running an online petition asking the British Standards Institute to back the proposal.

One reason why Microsoft is so keen to see Office Open XML become an official standard is that governments and other public sector organisations are beginning to insist that the software they use stores documents in non-proprietary formats such as the Open Document Format used by OpenOffice and its derivatives, and that could squeeze out Microsoft Office.

Some of the objections raised to Office Open XML during the review period by ISO members were that it duplicates the existing Open Document Format standard.

Ecma International - originally the European Computer Manufacturers Association but now a worldwide association for the standardisation of information and communication systems - already recognises Office Open XML as a standard, and sponsored it within the ISO.