Re: [office] a question on the ISO standardization process

[robert_weir@us.ibm.com]

> Do you think this could hamper the ODF standardization process and
if
> yes, how? My understanding is that the people from Microsoft there
could
> delay this process by reviewing thoroughly the ODF 1.0 specification
> document and ask for minor changes. These minor changes would in turn
> take enough time to allow the "Open XML" format to clear
the ISO
> standardization process or even to drown the ODF effort, at least
in the
> eyes of the public.
> 

I don't see how this could happen.  Remember,
the ISO ballot is voted by nation, not by company, so MS is one vote in
one advisory group to one national body.  The ballot for ODF in ISO
is already running and will close in May.  Nothing changes there.
 That said, any national body may vote with comments, and we (the
ODF TC) will need to consider each comment and provide a disposition for
those comments, whether to accept it as an editorial change, deny it, defer
it to a future release, etc.  This will require some time and effort,
but that was true even before MS joined V1.

In the end, I encourage Microsoft and every other
V1 member to read the ODF 1.0 specification thoroughly with a red pencil
in hand and submit comments.  I encourage the same from advisory committees
for all national bodies.  A full, public & open, review will only
make ODF stronger, and further distinguish it from Open XML.  If you
have a good product, you invite public scrutiny and review.  If you
don't have a good product, you rush it through without changes and without
the benefit of open, public review.   

Ever notice how only the really bad movies are released
directly to the theaters, without a preview screening for the critics?

-Rob