The Basic story
It turns out that Microsoft isn’t following up the OOXML standard too hard. By “following up” I mean actually following their own superb standard.
Coverage on this is already everywhere: I prefer The Standards Blog myself.
Context
Team Apologista is very big on “context”, so allow me to accommodate:
Dr. Alex Brown was the convenor of the OOXML Ballot Resolution Meeting back in Feb of 2008. Dr. Brown constantly poo-pooed concerns about Microsoft’s manipulation of the standardization process, often defending Microsoft directly and attacking ODF specifically along the way.
I do not think it is an exaggeration to say that without his efforts, OOXML would not have passed the standardization process.
So, when Dr. Brown says “Microsoft Fails the Standards Test“, and then goes on in detail to explain how Microsoft has either broken or failed to follow up on promises made – promises crucial at the time to getting OOXML through the standardization procees – it is truly a giant shock! No one could have seen this coming!
The Untold Story
I have it on good authority that the problem here lies solely with Microsoft 2001, and so people shouldn’t be hasseling Microsoft 2010. After all, Microsoft has new management, new employees that know open source, fresh new ideas, is becoming more open and is working actively on interoperability with third parties. They even launched the CodePlex Foundation OOXML Standardization Process.
So we see once again, it is Free Software zealots like Dr. Alex Brown, using FUD against Microsoft that are really to blame here.
Glad I could clear that up.
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