Path: mv.asterisco.pt!mvalente
From: mvale…@ruido-visual.pt (Mario Valente)
Newsgroups: mv
Subject: OOXML Followup Part 2
Date: Wed, 18 Jul 07 00:09:21 GMT
This post regarding the portuguese CT on OOXML will
be in English. Although the original post was in
Portuguese, the matter seems to have taken an
international interest.
http://mv.asterisco.pt/2007/Jun/cat.cgi?MS%20OOXML
http://www.inst-informatica.pt/v20/areas/normalizacao/CT173.htm
http://www.openxml.info/index.php?option=com_content&task=category§ionid=5&id=7&Itemid=13
http://www.groklaw.net/newsitems.php
http://boycottnovell.com/2007/07/16/iso-hoax/
In my last post I didnt have much free time to
expand on Monday’s meeting. Since I didnt see a
concise summary of it (as I was expecting), here’s
what happened:
– the meeting started with the approval of last
meeting’s minutes
– the next point on the agenda was the inclusion
in the CT of new members; since I felt quite lonely
in the first meeting, I had asked II and the CT on
what should be the way to introduce new members
– I was initially informed that new members for the
CT should be present at next meeting and should be
proposed by a current CT member; I invited a few
interested people only to be later told that each
current member would only be able to propose one (1)
other new CT member
– since this seemed to be against ISO rules, it later
was explained (on a Friday, one day before the next
meeting) that the right way for new members to be
introduced would be for them to solicit membership
directly to II (the portuguese ISO ONS)
– because of this “misunderstanding”, some people
showed up at the meeting thinking that they would
be members of the CT but that wouldnt be allowed
to stay there; if it werent for the fact that some
current members (previous and new) decided to have
them as “external experts”, since Microsoft also
had an international expert present.
– because of the same “misunderstanding” some people
who solicited to be present at the CT were denied
presence because of “lack of space in the room”; I
solicited explanations about the criteria used and
was told that it was “first come first served”; as
such, small organizations like Angulo Solido, Intraneia,
Safira or ACIME or admitted, but larger organizations
like Sun, IBM or IST (Instituto Superior Tecnico) were
barred from the meeting.
– it all came down to the CT, initially composed of
8 members, now becoming an 18 member body
– the next item on the agenda was approving the rest
of the agenda; this included both the discussion and
voting of the OOXML proposal
– I submitted that it was too early to vote and that
this item of the agenda should be removed and issued
for a later meeting; the vote was 13-5 in favor of
rescheduling the voting; I must say that at this point
I wasnt feeling as lonely as last time :-)….
– at this point I left the meeting, since I had other
engagements (and a judge can find you in contempt of
court and order prison; thanks, but no thanks…), so
someone else can fill in on the ensuing details;
– I left the meeting with the clear idea that until
next meeting (voting time), there will definitely be
more chairs available; it will all come down to who’s
sitting there.
— MV
