I agree with the author of the letter - IF

Story: ODF editor: ODF loses if OOXML doesTotal Replies: 3
Author Content
dinotrac

Mar 26, 2008
3:02 AM EDT
and only if OOXML is promulgated as a proper standard and, even then, only if Microsoft commits to actually use it for Office.

Under those circumstances, OOXML would be a boon to everyone, Microsoft included.

The current nasty mess, however, not.
Sander_Marechal

Mar 26, 2008
3:10 AM EDT
The only way to mould OOXML into something resembling a proper standard is a rejection of DIS 29500 and the a resubmit of Ecma 376 through the normal, slow track ISO process.
dinotrac

Mar 26, 2008
5:02 AM EDT
Sander --

Even apart from the process, isn't the proposed standard itself infected with proprietary binary-isms?

The surest test of a usable OOXML standard would be the ability to construct any complete document that can be created by the software based solely on information in the standard alone, and, if I understand correctly, that isn't the case right now.
Sander_Marechal

Mar 26, 2008
5:09 AM EDT
Indeed. That's most certainly isn't the case now. But hand it over to ISO in the non-fast-track process, let them hammer on if for a year or 2-3 and maybe, maybe something nice and usable could come out of it. Of course, the odds are that ISO will simply lift the few bits that are not part of ODF yet and put them in ODF. Problem solved. And in under a year too!

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