12.04.07
More Arrogance Found in OOXML
One of the deficiencies of OOXML is its inability to cater for a wide international community. It is very America-cetric. Most worrisome, however, its inability to evolve. As the following story shows, one of the largest populations in this world is essentially being snubbed by Microsoft’s OOXML. This is far from the first time and we mentioned some examples a week ago.
Some of the Microsoft comments have just been leaked out of the ECMA fortress. Microsoft continues to ignore the Muslim world, and they don’t want to correct its WORKDAY function in order to ‘do not break backward compatibility’: “Weekend days (Saturday and Sunday) are not considered as working days.”
[...]
Microsoft/ECMA rolls over cultural diversity. Does someone wants to call Al Jazeera?
Who would accept such a proposal without serious revisions to it? There will be some serious lost of trust in the standards bodies if OOXML ever passes. By the GNOME Foundation’s own admission here, the route taken w.r.t. OOXML is partly political, not technical, which is bad news. Mind the comments from Jeff Waugh (username jdub).
The arrogance culture, which is demonstrated in this case where islam’s needs are ignored, is something that was discussed a few weeks ago. Adding to the examples presented back then as evidence, there are some more examples below (collective arrogance rather than individual arrogance):
1. Microsoft’s Jeff Bell Calls Out Message Board Poster
The poster was especially critical of Bell during the press conference, which Bell didn’t take kindly to, as his private message read:
“And your contribution to society is…what?”
Wait, wait, wait. It’s one thing to insinuate a high-ranking Microsoft executive has effectively called you out, but the connections grew as more people started watching the train wreck.
[...]
We’re still waiting on a response from Microsoft, but between Peter Moore leaving for EA Sports and a top-ranking executive taking message board taunts to heart, it’s been an interesting week for the company.
2. Microsoft : Arrogance leads to Vulnerability
Chatting with the Microsoft senior sales people, I was struck by their incredible arrogance. They know the company’s products are good, but they have no qualms whatsoever about charging top dollar as a result.
It reminds us how Microsoft used to behave when it comes to their products’ security records. IE5 and 6 were nothing short of being proper Swiss Cheese with loads of holes in them but hey, they had 95% of the browser market at that time and couldn’t care less.
3. Microsoft says some way to go on software piracy
Microsoft on Friday said it may take decades to tackle software piracy in large emerging economies, despite some recent progress, and called on Asian governments to invest more in policing the practice.
4. Jim Cramer’s Wall Street Confidential Picks, 8/6/07
Ultimately, Cramer thinks Microsoft simply has too much hubris, and it feels it’s better at everything than anyone. Maybe it was at one time. But that’s a terrible amount of hubris to run a company with.
5. Partners to Microsoft: Don’t Make Us Licensing Police
Microsoft licensing has numerous wrinkles and is notoriously complex, which means it’s easy for users to violate the terms, says Scott Braden, senior Microsoft analyst at Miro Consulting, Fords, N.J.
6. Microsoft becoming ’software police,’ say users
Microsoft Corp. last week slammed the door on a free utility out of Australia that outflanked one of the company’s touted security features in Windows Vista, by having the program’s digital certificate revoked.
Users took Microsoft to task for the move, noting the slippery slope the company was walking on, with some blasting the vendor for playing “software police.”
7. INSECURITY WARNING — Windows Vista and W2K3 Server Do Not Support SNMP v3
Some computers may get compromised, unfortunately, because Microsoft has chosen to go this route.
And if they AREN’T brainwashing them, then they are just hiring incompetant, pompous dumbasses. And if either is the case, why should anyone support their company?
9. Microsoft Is Sheer Arrogant Claim Xbox 360 Customers
“Sheer arrogance from MS and they have lost what was once a loyal customer, I will never purchase another MS product again!! As a consumer I expect and Demand to be treated better than that or simply put I will take my business elsewhere!”
10. How Microsoft Refused to Speak With Me About Windows Error Reporting
Have you ever wondered what really happens to those Windows error reports you can send to Microsoft whenever a Windows app crashes? How many reports it must receive before taking action? Or whether it’s worth your time and effort to send duplicate reports if the error occurs repeatedly? I did, and I asked Microsoft. Unfortunately, after a week and a handful of assurances that they were working on responses, the software giant refused to speak with me.
The role of all the references above is to illustrate a key point. Microsoft’s arrogance as a company (also see these letters) remains a principal reasons for Microsoft’s terrible treatment of ISO. Microsoft sees itself now only as a company that is above the national law, but also as one that is above international standards regulations. It is prepared to spend money to run over the entire process, buy supporters, pressure people out of their jobs if they resists this, buy votes, and bribe business partners. All of this is well documented. █
