[Wylug-discuss] MS Office Open XML ISO standard fast track

[Phil Driscoll]

Groklaw readers may have already seen this excellent document
http://www.grokdoc.net/index.php/EOOXML_objections
detailing the absurd mess which is the Ecma 376 Office Open XML standard 
currently being fast tracked through the ISO process.

As I understand it, National standards bodies have until Friday to lodge any 
objections to the fast tracking. In the UK, the BSI need to be encouraged to 
object to the fast tracking process so that the standard is discussed in 
committee, where I would hope that sanity will prevail and the 6000 pages of 
junk will receive the treatment it deserves.

If you feel strongly about this and have some time today, please email one of 
the BSI representatives with your views. Contact details are at
http://www.grokdoc.net/index.php/EOOXML_Contacts#UNITED_KINGDOM_.28BSI.29

I emailed francis at franciscave.com who is Chairman or the BSI IST/41 committee. 
From the BSI website:

 "IST/41 is responsible for document description and processing languages and
  represents the UK in the work of the International Committee: ISO/IEC JTC
  1/SC 34, which maintains and develops standards for SGML (and extentions to
  support HTML and XML), DSDL, HyTime, ISMID and presentation standards such
  as SPDL and DSSSL"

He has passed my email on to the rest of his committee and to the chair of 
ICT/-/1, the committee responsible for responding for the UK position on the 
initial review of ECMA-376.

Cheers
-- 
Phil Driscoll