NO to the Microsoft Office format as an ISO standard (petition)

[metvas]

Hello All:
A petition againt M$ OOXML as a broken standard.
http://www.noooxml.org/petition

your chance to voice your opinion this is a worldwide effort.
Regards
Darrell

[The Headacher]

Done. Thanks for bringing this to our attention metvas! we can't have microsofts weird "open" formats polluting become an .iso standard... ISO is about quality. It's pretty obvious that M$ just tries to take market share from ODT for one reason : profit.

[metvas]

Thanks for responding.
metvas

[Triarius Fidelis]

Klart!

[Toe]

It's a little late for this.

http://blog.wired.com/monkeybites/2007/09/iso-rejects-mic.html

[Joe1962]

It's a little late for this.

http://blog.wired.com/monkeybites/2007/09/iso-rejects-mic.html

Not really, did you read that page through?

Of course, this doesn't mean OOXML is dead in the water.

Many of the "no" votes cast in the Fast Track process were amended with comments about technical issues with OOXML. The comments raise issues with OOXML's incapability to work with languages other than English, different date formats and an incompatibility with the existing, ISO-approved OpenDocument Format (ODF).

These issues will be addressed, and no doubt debated, in February at a special ballot resolution meeting being set up by the ISO. Between now and then, Microsoft will have time to make the tweak its standard proposal to make the format more appealing to those dissenting countries. At the resolution meeting, another vote will be cast, at which point Microsoft expects OOXML to win approval.

[Toe]

Of course.  But frankly, I suspect that either way it's going to end up being much ado about nothing.  Outside a few governments, it's probably just going to be business as usual.  I rather doubt the ISO's blessing is going to be enough to really swing the market one way or the other.  Consider how much success they've had in getting the US to adopt their standards.

[metvas]

my standard response to not voting is " If you don't vote don't complain". It is an opportunity for your individual voice to at least be heard!!! The outcome may or may not be what you want, but you said what you had to say.
Darrell

[The Headacher]

Consider how much success they've had in getting the US to adopt their standards.

Good point... Americans are almost as stubborn as the British when it comes to using the metric system. But at least Americans drive on the right side of the road .

my standard response to not voting is " If you don't vote don't complain"

I agree on that one. In a democracy you get to vote every once in a while (even if some voting systems are retarded). Your one vote might not seem to make a big difference, but it's still a vote. In a democratic system it's everybody's duty to vote for the person/party that you think will be best for your country.

Signing this petition has nothing to do with voting though. But you can still voice your concern.

[roseway]

But at least Americans drive on the right side of the road

Whereas we Brits drive on the left side, which is the correct side of course.

[Joe1962]

But at least Americans drive on the right side of the road

Whereas we Brits drive on the left side, which is the correct side of course.

And they may actually be correct, at least from one point of view...
Driving on the left side of the road means driving from the right seat of the car, so the gear shift is on your left. That means your right hand stays on the wheel while shifting, which should be slightly safer for the majority of drivers, as statistically speaking, they would be right-handed...

I'll crawl back into my hole now...

[Triarius Fidelis]

The reason that we drive on the (spatial) right side of the road was one small way to distinguish ourselves from Britain. Mostly out of contrariness.

*ahem* My sincere apologies for any inconvenience that may have followed.

[exeterdad]

Driving on the left side of the road means driving from the right seat of the car, so the gear shift is on your left. That means your right hand stays on the wheel while shifting, which should be slightly safer for the majority of drivers, as statistically speaking, they would be right-handed...

Now that's plain silly.  How can one safely drive and drink their coffee with their left hand? 

[wcs]

your right hand stays on the wheel while shifting, which should be slightly safer for the majority of drivers, as statistically speaking, they would be right-handed... Cool

That's right! Never thought of it that way...
With all it's shortcomings, I guess Britain still gets many things right (no pun intended).

How can one safely drive and drink their coffee with their left hand?

You would be surprised at how true that statement is on weekend nights in a place such as my native Portugal. Except replace "coffee" with "beer"...

[rbistolfi]

But at least Americans drive on the right side of the road

Whereas we Brits drive on the left side, which is the correct side of course.

And they may actually be correct, at least from one point of view...
Driving on the left side of the road means driving from the right seat of the car, so the gear shift is on your left. That means your right hand stays on the wheel while shifting, which should be slightly safer for the majority of drivers, as statistically speaking, they would be right-handed...

I'll crawl back into my hole now...

 
Damn Joe, you are good!

The reason that we drive on the (spatial) right side of the road was one small way to distinguish ourselves from Britain. Mostly out of contrariness.

*ahem* My sincere apologies for any inconvenience that may have followed.

I though France was doing that. Personally, I distinguish from Britain and others just being born in another country  .

You would be surprised at how true that statement is on weekend nights in a place such as my native Portugal. Except replace "coffee" with "beer"...

That is true here too... so be careful if you came here and you are planning to cross the street