Lan Barnes wrote:
On Thu, December 7, 2006 3:36 pm, Todd Walton wrote:
So, who exactly is this Ecma? And how are they in a position to make
standards independent of ISO?
-todd
On 12/7/06, Lan Barnes <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
I think this from my "Big Picture" buddy is worth forwarding. It's
certainly a Linux topic at the strategic level.
---------------------------- Original Message
----------------------------
Subject: standardization
From: "Jim Ferstle" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Date: Thu, December 7, 2006 8:19 am
To: "Lan Barnes" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
-big snip-
Beats me. In truth, anyone can set up a standards committee (or think tank
or professional organization with certifications) and it's a standard ploy
of sleezy industry players to do just that.
A consortium of sleazy players is exactly what ECMA is. It's members
submit only their own technology to the group, where after (read when,
not if) being approved, is declared a "Standard". It is then usually
submitted to the IOS for mainstream acceptance. Microsoft recently
became a major committee member of ECMA. That position coincidently
gives it a vote in what and how the rules of technology acceptance is
implemented. IOW, a kind of veto power.
I read TFA above, and while it does contain several inaccuracies, it
nevertheless describes the ODF vs. OXML battle, albeit with a subtle
pro-M$ attitude. A very important fact which should be kept in mind when
reading it is that OpenXML is _not_ a standard. It is a description of a
proprietary, and patented Microsoft methodology. Unlike a true standard,
its complete workings are not available to anyone wishing to implement
them.
Someone else recently described M$'s offering of OpenXML to ECMA as
"Greeks bearing gifts". Think RAMbus: offer your technology to a insider
group "Standards" body, then later attempt to sue into submission anyone
who dares to fully and profitably implement the "Standard".
For a good comparison of the two methodologies as submitted to ECMA read
this http://www.groklaw.net/article.php?story=20061212025314700.
--
Best Regards,
~DJA.
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