IBM threatens to leave ISO after OOXML row

 

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By Barry Collins

Posted on 24 Sep 2008 at 08:00

IBM has threatened to walk away from the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) following the controversy over Microsoft's OOXML approval.

IBM was one of the more vocal critics of OOXML, claiming that there was no need for a rival standard to the already-approved ODF and that OOXML was overly complex.

Microsoft succeeded in its bid to have OOXML fast-tracked as a standard following a second vote in March. Four countries appealed against the decision based on "voting irregularities", but those appeals were dismissed by ISO earlier in the summer.

Now, IBM says it's taking a fresh approach to its membership of standards bodies, in order to "encourage improved tech standards quality and transparency."

In a clear signal to ISO, IBM says it will "begin or end participation in standards bodies based on the quality and openness of their processes, membership rules, and intellectual property policies."

Furthermore, it claims that votes and dispute resolutions must be "protected from undue influence", in what is clearly a reference to the OOXML voting process.

Big Blue adds that it will "review and take necessary actions concerning its membership in standards organisations" in light of its new policy.

IBM says that it's adopted the new stance following an "online conversation" with "70 independent, forward-thinking experts across the globe".

"Common, open and consensus-based technology standards from reputable standards bodies help ensure that each of us can easily purchase and interchangeably use computing technology from multiple vendors," claims Bob Sutor, IBM vice president of open source and standards.

"The ways in which they are created and adopted provide reasonable assurances that disparate products will work with one another, and withstand the test of time."