The GNOME Foundation, recently slammed by critics who accused it of
supporting Microsoft's OOXML (Open Office XML document format), has
issued a statement to clarify its position on the matter. The
International Standards Organization recently shot down Microsoft's
request that OOXML be given "fast track" status. Another vote is expected
next year. In the meantime, Microsoft has been working with the ECMA
TC45 committee to address concerns over OOXML, which critics have argued
is too proprietary to merit certification as a standard. The
organization's statement seeks to answer such charges. Jody Goldberg,
lead maintainer for the GNOME-backed Gnumeric spreadsheet program, has
worked with ECMA TC45. "The GNOME Foundation's support for Jody's
participation in TC45-M does not indicate endorsement for, or contribution
to, ISO standardisation of the Microsoft Office Open XML formats,"
[the statement] reads. The group also argues that neither OOXML nor
ODF will serve all needs and that the development of standards overall
could be in jeopardy: "We are deeply concerned that abuse of the
standards process is eroding public trust in the value and independence
of international standards. Both ODF and OOXML are very heavily
influenced by their implementation heritage, neither are likely to
deliver the "one true office format," and both communities have -- in
their own way -- played a role in this erosion of trust." More Information
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