Unix users take OOXML decision to High Court

 

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By Matthew Sparkes

Posted on 2 May 2008 at 11:26

A Unix users group has taken the British Standard's Institution to court in an attempt to force the organisation to drop its support for OOXML.

The UK Unix and Open Systems User Group is demanding a judicial review in the High Court over the BSI's decision to support OOXML at the International Standards Organisation vote.

The UKUUG is concerned that the BSI issued 635 comments on the first draft of OOXML, and in September of last year announced that it could not support the format until those issues were resolved, but later approved the format in the "absence of a revised draft".

The group is concerned that this will serve to harm the sector to which the standard will apply, and that fast-tracking the format to ratification will not allow proper consideration by all parties.

"We are very disappointed that BSI has chosen to take this decision against the advice of its technical committee. The format used for storage of documents will affect our lives for decades to come, and it is imperative that standards such as OOXML are given a rigorous review rather than being rubber-stamped by BSI. Where would we be if the original Magna Carta was unreadable?" ask Alain Williams, chairman of the UKUUG.

The BSI was unavailable for comment at the time of writing.