03.07.08
OOXML Players: Novell is Microsoft, ECMA is Microsoft
In case you missed it, Novell now considers itself a Microsoft partner. Not bad. We might as well treat Novell as part of the Microsoft ecosystem from now on. Unsurprisingly, Novell supports OOXML. It must. And if that’s not enough, Microsoft is showing off this support and uses it to stifle truly open standards.
Microsoft shows off open document lab in Cambridge
[..]
According to officials from Redmond, Wash.-based Microsoft, the software stalwart is joined in the initiative by a variety of software vendors including local firms Novell Inc. of Waltham…
Enough said. Other partners are not in the open source or Linux business. Neither should Novell.
To confirm what Stephane told us some time ago, ECMA indeed appears to be an embodiment of Microsoft, at least to an extent.
Ecma International’s Rex Jaeschke does not only live very close to Redmond.
[…]
Can you feel how Microsoft owns ECMA and the whole ISO process?
With escorts, moderators and ‘rivals’ (or devil’s advocates) like these, no wonder Microsoft has come as far as it has. It’s all just a game of greed and deception. It’s no way to make international standards. █
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.
Stephane Rodriguez said,
March 7, 2008 at 8:24 am
There is nothing wrong in Rex Jaeschke being secretary liaison of the ECMA TC 45 group. Remember that Microsoft are co-chairs of the TC45 group at ECMA.
The nooxml site goes as far as saying Rex Jaeschke is a former Microsoft employee. It is not true either.
It’s bad that one of the primary “lobbying” group against Microsoft ISO invasion happens to be people who are doing bad research.