Darren New wrote:
Is ISO 23271 a good start?
Yes, except that it was fast tracked. Which means no patent grants and
limited public review.
In addition, the library is *not* an ISO standard, and Microsoft has not
seen fit to submit it.
That's like saying "C99 is an ISO standard, but we're keeping the C
library under patents." or "C++ is an ISO standard, but we're keeping
the STL under patents."
A language isn't useful without its main libraries.
This is just like OfficeXML--"It's standard. But we're not telling you
about those mysterious binary blobs in the middle." Microsoft is also
trying to get "Fast-Track" adoption of that, too. Fortunately, people
are waking up to Microsoft's abuse of the "Fast-Track" ISO process
(purchase approval from a more easily influenced organization and then
transfer across), and Europe doesn't seem quite so easy for Microsoft to
purchase.
Microsoft knew what would happen if they opened C# to true public review
for ISO approval; it would get shot down without the library and patent
grants, and they will lose their marketing blurb.
Microsoft torpedoed Java when it hit ISO. And Sun *did* offer patent
grants and libraries. Microsoft knew full well that the exact same
thing was going to be demanded of them that they demanded of Java.
Sun, to their credit, at least had the balls to submit for a real ISO
approval which Microsoft and IBM stopped. And, last year, Sun somehow
managed to find reasons to GPL the whole shooting match (which I still
think is insane from a business perspective).
Let's go see Microsoft do either of those.
Still not buying. Have fun with your poison apple.
-a
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