Maybe we can turn around and use MS's template. An edited version follows: 8x---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: Rejection of Technically Deficient ECMA376 / ISO/IEC DIS 29500 – Information Technology – Office Open XML File Formats Dear Mr Chan, We are writing to voice our strong objection for the approval of Ecma’s Office Open XML File Formats as an ISO/IEC International Standard. We strongly urge the IDA to communicate its objection for the ISO/IEC ratification of this standard to the JTC1 Secretariat. Open XML has been documented to be full of technical flaws, contradictions to existing ISO standards, Internet RFCs and other widely used standards (eg: date calculation, Chinese characters in URLs) and contains Microsoft-only proprietary bits and represents an important hurdle in document standards and interoperability. The IP issues with OOXML, especially implementation of the proprietary bits is unclear and the implementor could be hauled to court for implementing OOXML compatible software solutions perceived to be competing to MS Office. ISO already has a document standard ISO26300 which is also known as Open Document Format, which is supported by OpenOffice, Google, IBM, Sun StarOffice and Microsoft Office via plugins. ODF offers benefits to technology users, the technology industry, consumers, businesses and governments worldwide. ODF has already been accepted by Japan and is being seriously studied by Malaysia for adoption. Adoption of ODF by Singapore has the potential to give birth to many innovative startups using the formats to drive the IT industry here. Imagine if HTTP, SMTP, TCP/IP etc were to be proprietary or single vendor controlled "standard" , would be be benefiting from the widespread Internet and email? The world aspires for Single standards and duplication of standards wastes effort, time and money. Microsoft is welcome to participate in the ODF standards process and contribute to ODF/ISO26300, instead of coming up with another flawed document standard. Thank you for listening. If you have any questions, please contact the undersigned. Sincerely, [YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS] 8x--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Regards Anand On Tuesday 14 August 2007 17:11:04 Harish Pillay wrote: > LUGS members: > > If you are in a position to represent the company you work for, or are > able to get your management to agree, please consider sending a > letter to the Chief Executive of IDA, Chan Yeng Kit, to express support > for ODF and to encourage him to recommend to vote no to OOXML > as an ISO standard. > > Although the vote from Singapore will be decided at the ITSC, IDA > can hold some sway. He has already been covered, as expected, > by Microsoft so it is extremely crucial that he gets to hear from ODF > supporters. > > Please make sure that the note reaches him this week - hopefully by > Thursday. > > Address: > Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore > 8 Temasek Boulevard #14-00 Suntec Tower 3 Singapore 038988 > email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > Harish > > _______________________________________________ > Slugnet mailing list > [email protected] > http://www.lugs.org.sg/mailman/listinfo/slugnet _______________________________________________ Slugnet mailing list [email protected] http://www.lugs.org.sg/mailman/listinfo/slugnet
