08.27.07
OOXML Watch: More Deception and More Manipulation, Norway ‘Corrupted’
We are still keeping an eye on behind-closed-doors deals. We see plenty of manipulation which is intended to buy Microsoft’s monopoly some more support. Apart from Novell, Xandros, and Linspire, we have been seeing various countries where support for OOXML was ‘bought’ rather than earned. Groklaw has a batch of recent stories. Among them:
If you read about what happened there in that article, “OOXML in Norway: The haywire process,” your jaw will simply drop. I do think there is something the matter with the ISO process if this is how it works.
To find out more about Norway, read this report.
I believe that anything that sanctions unfair competition is bad. I believe in a world where the threshold for competition is low and where everyone are free to easily innovate.
Instead of (or in addition to) stacking, Microsoft seems to be spawning more support at the 90th. Let’s call it “panel saturation” rather than “panel stacking”. Whatever comes out of this, remember what Microsoft did to get there. People in Groklaw have asked if legal action can be taken. The torrent of public letters protesting against this has not been effective enough.
Related stories:
Highlight: Novell was the first to acknowledge that Microsoft FUD tactics had substance. Novell then used anti-Linux FUD to market itself. 
Highlight: Xandros let Microsoft make patent claims and brag about (paid-for) OOXML support. 
Highlight: Linspire's CEO not only fell into Microsoft arms, but he also assisted the company's attack on GNU/Linux. 
Highlight: Microsoft craves pseudo (proprietary) standards and gets its way using proxies and influence which it buys. 
Highlight: The invasion into the open source world is intended to leave Linux companies neglected, due to financial incentives from Microsoft. 
Analysis: Xen, an open source hypervisor, possibly fell victim to Microsoft's aggressive (and stealthy) acquisition-by-proxy strategy.
Ola Nordmann said,
August 28, 2007 at 7:25 am
You should read this about the Sweedish process:
http://www.os2world.com/content/view/14868/1/
Honestly, I thought corruption was illegal in Sweden. Apparently not.
Roy Schestowitz said,
August 28, 2007 at 8:06 am
I wrote about this half an hour ago (as soon the word reached my ear):
http://boycottnovell.com/2007/08/28/sweden-ooxml/
There is some more information to be identified elsewhere, including this site. I just can’t recall which thread involved an anonymous poster from Sweden.