Roger Whittaker

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UKUUG Press Release on BSI and OOXML (9)

Tuesday 10th June 2008

From BBC news today.

Four countries have appealed a decision to fast-track the international standardisation of a Microsoft document format, called OpenXML.

Brazil, India, South Africa and Venezuela have complained that there was not enough time given to discuss improvements to the format.

[...]

The BSI British Standards voted in favour of adopting it but now faces a legal challenge from the UK's Unix and Open Systems User Group.

At the time of its challenge, UKUUG chairman Alain Williams commented: "The format used for storage of documents will affect our lives for decades to come, and it is imperative that standards such as OpenXML are given a rigorous review rather than being rubber-stamped by BSI. Where would we be if the original Magna Carta was unreadable ?"

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7445956.stm.