Document Wars

Looks like the road to open standards now detours through Redmond, Washington.  Can we still call the destiny "open standards" if proposals have to be filtered through the Microsoft business plan for world domination?  This is not a good day for America.

The British Standards Institute, which represents the UK with the International Standards Organization, has issued a " contradiction" to Microsoft's specification.

The British Standards Institute, which represents the UK with the International Standards Organization, has issued a " contradiction" to Microsoft's specification.

Well, this is interesting.

What part of "Executive Board" makes you think they read 6,000 page XML specifications? <ge>

I think, in the best bureaucratic tradition, they argued definitions until they convinced themselves that they didn't need to do anything.  They decided that one standard contradicts another standard only if the proposed standard causes the existing standard not to work.  This is from analogy with the Chinese WAPI WiFi networking standard last year that was defeated because the protocol caused radio interference with existing 801.11 networks.  So they said that OOXML did not contradict ODF because both files could exist on the same disk without interfering with each other.   You will note that thiss argument can be used for every XML format, every programming language, every operating system, in fact every software standard, since software is ultimately data, and data can be segregated on disks.  So they essentially chose a definition so narrow that it nullified the concept of "contradiction" for most of what JTC1 has authority over.<!-- D(["mb","<div><br><span style\u003d\"color:rgb(0, 0, 153)\"><ge>  Wait a second.   You cannot have a OOXML document and a ODF document sitting on the same disk without having them interfer with each other.  We just proved that with our tests of both ACME 374 and ODF Da Vinci plugin on the latest release of MSOffice Word 2007.\n</span><br style\u003d\"color:rgb(0, 0, 153)\"><br style\u003d\"color:rgb(0, 0, 153)\"><span style\u003d\"color:rgb(0, 0, 153)\">OOXML clearly does interfere with the loading of an ODF file into MSWord 2007.  In prior versions of MSWord (98, 2000, XP, 2003

There you go!  The Micrsoft plot to take over the Internet in a nutshell, with XAML and EOXML at the point of the spear.

Funny how everyone knows what Micrsoft's intentions are, even having identified the tehcnoliges to be used, but still no one can stop them.  How did this recidivist reprobate get so outside the rule of law and beyond the reach of good men?

EOXML (MS Ecma 376) must be stopped at ISO/IEC, if only to slow down this worldwide train wreck they plan for our beloved and open Internet.

Microsoft Wikipedia Shill Rick Jelliffe weighs in on the "contradiction" definition issue.  Rick is well known XML expert, and prior to his contracting out as a hired shill for Microsoft, was much respected.  Patrick Durusau, ODF editor and co chairman of the ISO/IEC JTSC1 committee that reviewed ODF and will be responsible for MS Ecma 376, requested the clarification.

Rick J provides a nice framework for approachign the "contradiction definition" issue, but fails to provide an expert opinion on MS Ecma 376. 

Anyone familiar with Rick's comments in the past will come away from this article much surprised.  He went all wobbly when it came time to make the call on MS Ecma 376.  This kind of wishy washy opinion is hardly what we've come to expect. 

I guess the shill contract incuded much more than pasting up Wikipedia to make Microsoft look like an honest broker of information technologies. 

~ge~

Microsoft Wikipedia Shill Rick Jelliffe weighs in on the "contradiction" definition issue. Rick is well known XML expert, and prior to his contracting out as a hired shill for Microsoft, was much respected. Patrick Durusau, ODF editor and co chairman of

Microsoft Wikipedia Shill Rick Jelliffe weighs in on the "contradiction" definition issue. Rick is well known XML expert, and prior to his contracting out as a hired shill for Microsoft, was much respected. Patrick Durusau, ODF editor and co chairman of

The blog itself really sucks, but the comments are explosive and well worth reading. Especially Stephan's summary response. It's clear that Microsoft's entire justification for OOXML rests on the billions of binary documents that only Microsoft knows th

The blog itself really sucks, but the comments are explosive and well worth reading. Especially Stephan's summary response. It's clear that Microsoft's entire justification for OOXML rests on the billions of binary documents that only Microsoft knows th

The blog itself really sucks, but the comments are explosive and well worth reading. Especially Stephan's summary response. It's clear that Microsoft's entire justification for OOXML rests on the billions of binary documents that only Microsoft knows th

Excellent summary from Edward Macnaghten. It all comes down to this: OOXML is designed entirely to extend the Microsoft Desktop Monopoly, leveraging that monopolist control into server systems, devices and the future of the Internet

Excellent summary from Edward Macnaghten. It all comes down to this: OOXML is designed entirely to extend the Microsoft Desktop Monopoly, leveraging that monopolist control into server systems, devices and the future of the Internet

Excellent summary from Edward Macnaghten. It all comes down to this: OOXML is designed entirely to extend the Microsoft Desktop Monopoly, leveraging that monopolist control into server systems, devices and the future of the Internet

The legendary XML blogger Bob DuCharme has written an excellent summary of RDFa including a how to explanation of XHTML with RDFa metadata. As some might know, the OASIS ODF Metadata Sub Committee is adopting a RDF/XML RDFa approach. Sun representatives

The legendary XML blogger Bob DuCharme has written an excellent summary of RDFa including a how to explanation of XHTML with RDFa metadata. As some might know, the OASIS ODF Metadata Sub Committee is adopting a RDF/XML RDFa approach. Sun representatives

The legendary XML blogger Bob DuCharme has written an excellent summary of RDFa including a how to explanation of XHTML with RDFa metadata. As some might know, the OASIS ODF Metadata Sub Committee is adopting a RDF/XML RDFa approach. Sun representatives

Ouch! The other shoe has dropped.

Ouch! The other shoe has dropped.

Ouch! The other shoe has dropped.

Another great post from Sam. Maybe he'll soon be talking about what really happened in Massachusetts? Sam starts off his discussion with the plexnex traffic metrics. Soon enough though, he gets into OpenDocument, the Foundation's plugin, and events in

Another great post from Sam. Maybe he'll soon be talking about what really happened in Massachusetts? Sam starts off his discussion with the plexnex traffic metrics. Soon enough though, he gets into OpenDocument, the Foundation's plugin, and events in

Another great post from Sam. Maybe he'll soon be talking about what really happened in Massachusetts? Sam starts off his discussion with the plexnex traffic metrics. Soon enough though, he gets into OpenDocument, the Foundation's plugin, and events in

Wrack up another loss for the forces of freedom. Birmingham is lucky to get out cheap. Munich raced by the $3,000 per PC mark with no end in sight. Massachusetts is lost in never never land. Sowhat's going on? Why is it so costly to move off the Wind

Wrack up another loss for the forces of freedom. Birmingham is lucky to get out cheap. Munich raced by the $3,000 per PC mark with no end in sight. Massachusetts is lost in never never land. Sowhat's going on? Why is it so costly to move off the Wind

Wrack up another loss for the forces of freedom. Birmingham is lucky to get out cheap. Munich raced by the $3,000 per PC mark with no end in sight. Massachusetts is lost in never never land. Sowhat's going on? Why is it so costly to move off the Wind

Wow, Outlook and Web OutLook eMail hit Infocon 4 and are banned by the DOD. The MS Exchange/ShrePoint Hub has been on a tear, with governments worldwide leading the way. And now this? Government mandates to use ODF on the desktop did not stop governmen

Wow, Outlook and Web OutLook eMail hit Infocon 4 and are banned by the DOD. The MS Exchange/ShrePoint Hub has been on a tear, with governments worldwide leading the way. And now this? Government mandates to use ODF on the desktop did not stop governmen

Wow, Outlook and Web OutLook eMail hit Infocon 4 and are banned by the DOD. The MS Exchange/ShrePoint Hub has been on a tear, with governments worldwide leading the way. And now this? Government mandates to use ODF on the desktop did not stop governmen

hey great comment!

hey great comment!

hey great comment!

Alist of news stories i'm tagging at DiGG

Alist of news stories i'm tagging at DiGG

Alist of news stories i'm tagging at DiGG

Microsoft's bid to get its Open XML formats recognised as an international standard faces a delay for at least three months and could fail altogether, it emerged today.

Microsoft's bid to get its Open XML formats recognised as an international standard faces a delay for at least three months and could fail altogether, it emerged today.

Microsoft's bid to get its Open XML formats recognised as an international standard faces a delay for at least three months and could fail altogether, it emerged today.

No mention here as whether or not ODF was part of the settlement. Surely after all the anti trust trials, class action suits, and settlements that have taken place, litigants might realize that a monetary fix isn't a fix. What needs to be done is twofol

No mention here as whether or not ODF was part of the settlement. Surely after all the anti trust trials, class action suits, and settlements that have taken place, litigants might realize that a monetary fix isn't a fix. What needs to be done is twofol

No mention here as whether or not ODF was part of the settlement. Surely after all the anti trust trials, class action suits, and settlements that have taken place, litigants might realize that a monetary fix isn't a fix. What needs to be done is twofol

Wow, what an interesting collection of blogs.  Everything ODF, including blogs from florian Reuter, Rob Weir, and Bob Sutor.

Wow, what an interesting collection of blogs. Everything ODF, including blogs from florian Reuter, Rob Weir, and Bob Sutor.

Wow, what an interesting collection of blogs. Everything ODF, including blogs from florian Reuter, Rob Weir, and Bob Sutor.

There are the technical arguments for ODf vs. EooXML.  Then there are endless discussions concerning the discovery and disclosure of volumes of contradictions between ODF and EooXmL  And how about all those legal-patent-licensing-DRM restrictions on EooXML which shatter in comparison to the truly open and un encumbered ODF.  Even the comparison between ECMA the great rubber stamp standards for sale org vs OASIS, the everyman's consensus community standards mill where ODF flourishes.  All interesting.  but this blog is about the reality of migrating information and information processes to ODF.  It's not easy!

There are the technical arguments for ODf vs. EooXML. Then there are endless discussions concerning the discovery and disclosure of volumes of contradictions between ODF and EooXmL And how about all those legal-patent-licensing-DRM restrictions on EooXM

There are the technical arguments for ODf vs. EooXML. Then there are endless discussions concerning the discovery and disclosure of volumes of contradictions between ODF and EooXmL And how about all those legal-patent-licensing-DRM restrictions on EooXM

Whoa!  This has already happened.  In his blog titled, "The Formats of Excel 2007",  XML expert Rob Weir demonstrates for us that MSOffice 2007 Excel has a new file format.  Rob demonstrates that there are four file format choices in Excel; EOOXML, Legacy XLS binary, and two  new binary extensions of EOOXML: "Excel Macro-Enabled Workbook" - xlsxm, and "Excel Binary Workbook" - xlsb.

The new binaries are proprietary extensions to EOOXML.  xlsb in particular looks to be something known as a XML Binary InfoSet..  XBiS is a compressed form of an XML file used in situations where bandwidth and device cpu constraints demand such an extreme.  We can't be sure about xlsb, but it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, quacks like a duck and thherefore....

This must be some kind of record.  EOOXML isn't yet 30 days old and Micrsoft has eXtended it with a proprietary binary representation not available to the rest of the world.  And XBiS was designed so that implementations would be open and application and platform independent.  But that's not what we see with Microsoft's xlsb.

What Marbux is pointing out here is that only Micrsoft has the legal rights to do this proprietary eXtension of EOOXML.  Beat the drums.  Sound the alarms.  Hide the women and children.  Nothing has changed.  The longboats are fancier, there are more of them. The swords of the pillagers remain just as sharp.  Their determination and drive just as strong.

Some quick backgroud references:  Compression, XML</b

There are many other warts in the Microsoft covenant not to sue. E.g., the covenant applies only toEcmaOffice Open XML; it does not apply to any future version, including a version that might be approved by ISO or a variant that might be actually imple

There are many other warts in the Microsoft covenant not to sue. E.g., the covenant applies only toEcmaOffice Open XML; it does not apply to any future version, including a version that might be approved by ISO or a variant that might be actually imple

Nice catch by Stephan Jaensch.  He caught Brian Jones trying wriggle out of corner Rob Weir has trapped the mighty Microsoft Blogmeister in.  The last line of Stephan's question to Brian Jones says it all; the incompleteness and undocumented aspects of the EOOXML specification give Microsoft an incredibly unfair competitive advantage regarding the billions of binary MSOffice documents in circulation and vital to critical day to day business operations the world over. 

The quote from Stephan:  "I still haven't seen any answer to this valid criticism. It's a competitive advantage for Microsoft since the standard is incomplete and your company is the only one that has the missing parts."

The response from Brian?  We're waiting.  We've been waiting.  With each passing day the EOOXMl specification looks more like a monopolist endagered species protection order than the open standard Microsoft is trying to palm it off as.

A legthy discussion of the MSOffice bound MOOXML file format. that was triggered by Rob Weir's infamous blog, "How to Hire Guillame Portes".  Lots of comments, pro and con, as to whether or not the applications specific tags used so extensibvely by MOOXML are needed, or not.

Many argue that the application bound tags should have been fully described.  That every tag in the specification should also include the informaiton needed to implement it.  Agreed!  Otherwise, the specification does not qualify as a standard.  It's simply a vendor specific, and in this case highly proprietary and encumbered file format.

Others argue that the app bound tags are the only way for Microsoft to provide backwards compatibility with the billions of binary documents bound to MSOffice through proprieatry and secret binary file formats.  These people argue that embedding an application specific binary in the XML file format, instead of converting it to proper XML, is the only way to insure backwards compatibilty.  BS.  There is no technical reason not to convert it to proper XML.  But that would mean fully describing the binary objects, including the nature of their application dependency.  Something Microsoft is quite reluctant to do.

The truth of the matter is that if the binary object is to be part of a specification submitted to ISO for standards consideration, then it should be fully described, including how to implement it.  Otherwise, MOOXML is just a standard for one.  A standard for Micrsoft only since they are  the only ones with the secret blueprint as to how to implement these binary objects.

A legthy discussion of the MSOffice bound MOOXML file format. that was triggered by Rob Weir's infamous blog, "How to Hire Guillame Portes". Lots of comments, pro and con

A legthy discussion of the MSOffice bound MOOXML file format. that was triggered by Rob Weir's infamous blog, "How to Hire Guillame Portes". Lots of comments, pro and con