[ILUG] Dublin, Monday, March 31st, 2008--NSAI Votes to Approve Office Open XML Standard

[Éibhear]

This is a sad day for Ireland, and for the world, given that the
"standard" has been approved by ISO.

Let's hope that the EU Commission's investigation into the reported
irregularities surrounding the approvals of other members' votes will
result in an annulment of the ratification.

The world has been bludgeoned into ratifying as a standard a specification
that no one has implemented and the license terms for which prevent any
real competition for the vendor who knock the thing together.

Shame.

Éibhear

Ronan Roche wrote:
> NSAI Votes to Approve Office Open XML Standard
>
>
>
> Dublin, Monday, March 31st, 2008. NSAI (National Standards Authority of
> Ireland) has voted to approve OOXML (Office Open XML) software
> specification
> as an international standard. Developed largely by Microsoft, OOXML
> (Office
> Open XML) is an extension of the Extensible Mark-up Language, a general
> purpose language, allowing users to define their own tags, its primary
> purpose being to facilitate the sharing of data across different
> information
> systems, particularly via the Internet.
>
>
>
> NSAI, as Ireland’s official standards and measurement body and as a full
> member of ISO (the International Organisation for Standardisation), is
> entitled to participate and vote on any technical committee and policy
> committee of ISO. The OOXML submission is a joint process between ISO and
> its sister body, IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission).  A key
> characteristic of international standardisation is that each National
> standards body, of which there are more than 100 worldwide, has one vote
> in
> the approval process, irrespective of the size of country. Ireland’s vote
> of
> ‘Approval’ comes after a lengthy period of intensive review, analysis and
> discussion in respect of the OOXML submission.
>
>
>
> In August 2007, NSAI initially voted a qualified Approval, subject to the
> resolution of a number of technical issues highlighted by NSAI’s ICT
> Standards Consultative Committee. These issues, or ‘comments’, have been
> since been resolved and NSAI modified the vote to Approve.
>
>
>
> Maurice Buckley, Chief Executive, NSAI, said, “Standards play a key role
> in
> developing trade and enterprise in Ireland and NSAI and the ICT Committee
> demonstrated expertise, dedication and impartiality in this matter.”
>
>
>
> The progress of this OOXML proposal through the international standards
> process has been accompanied by unprecedented media attention, extending
> far
> outside the technical community into the blogosphere, international
> business
> media and national media around the world.
>
>
>
> -ends-
>
>
>
> For more information, please call:
>
> Ronan Roche, Corporate Reputations, 01 661 8915, 086 046 0326,
> ronan at corporatereputations.ie
>
>
>
> Niamh Boyle, Corporate Reputations, 01 661 8915, 087 248 1476,
> niamh at corporatereputations.ie
>
>
>
> Notes to Editor:
>
> NSAI (National Standards Authority of Ireland) NSAI is Ireland’s official
> standards and measurement body. Their work entails serving industry and
> protecting consumer interests through the setting of standards and issuing
> of certification in the quality and safety of goods and services. NSAI
> supports enterprise, trade, consumers and government through the effective
> provision of services of the highest quality in the areas of Standards,
> Legal Metrology, Agrément, Certification and Scientific/Industrial
> Metrology.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
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>
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>
>
>
>
>
>
> Account Director
>
> Corporate Reputations Ltd
>
> 25 Merrion Square
>
> Dublin 2, Ireland
>
>
>
> T: + 353 1 661 8915 / 614 9654
>
> F: + 353 1 661 8914
>
> M: + 353 86 046 0326
>
> W:  <http://www.corporatereputations.ie> www.corporatereputations.ie
>
>
>
>
>
>
>


-- 
Éibhear Ó hAnluain
Gibiris.org
Dublin
Ireland