Office Open XML Intermediate 5 Month Ballot Results
Encyclopedia
During the standardization of Office Open XML
, Ecma International
submitted its Office Open XML File Formats standard (ECMA-376) to the ISO Fast Track process. After a comment period, the ISO held a ballot that closed September 2007. This has been observed to be perhaps the most controversial and unusual ISO ballot ever convened, both in the number of comments in opposition, and in unusual actions during the voting process. Various factions have strongly supported and opposed this fast track process. On the supporting side were primarily Microsoft affiliated companies; on the opposing side were free- or open-source software organizations, IBM
and affiliates, Sun Microsystems
, and Google
.
There have been reports of attempted vote buying, heated verbal confrontations, refusal to come to consensus and other very unusual behavior in national standards bodies.
This is said to be unprecedented for standards bodies, which usually act together and have generally worked to resolve concerns amicably.
87 ISO member countries responded to the five-month ballot. There were 51 votes of "approval", 18 votes of "disapproval" and 18 abstentions. For the measure to pass, of "P" members (participating, as opposed to "O" members: observing) must approve and less than of all voting national members (excluding members that abstain from voting) must disapprove. The ballot shows 53% approval by "P" members and 26% disapproval from the total votes.
! Country
! Standards Body
! Membership
! Vote
|-
| Argentina
| IRAM
| O Member
| Abstention
|-
| Chile
| INN
| O Member
| Abstention
|-
| Israel
| SII
| O Member
| Abstention
|-
| Luxembourg
| SEE
| O Member
| Abstention
|-
| Mexico
| DGN
| O Member
| Abstention
|-
| Peru
| INDECOPI
| O Member
| Abstention
|-
| Viet Nam
| TCVN
| O Member
| Abstention
|-
| Australia
| SA
| P Member
| Abstention
|-
| Belgium
| NBN
| P Member
| Abstention
|-
| Finland
| SFS
| P Member
| Abstention
|-
| Italy
| UNI
| P Member
| Abstention
|-
| Malaysia
| DSM
| P Member
| Abstention
|-
| Netherlands
| NEN
| P Member
| Abstention
|-
| Slovenia
| SIST
| P Member
| Abstention
|-
| Spain
| AENOR
| P Member
| Abstention
|-
| Trinidad and Tobago
| TTBS
| P Member
| Abstention
|-
| Mauritius
| MSB
|
| Abstention
|-
| Zimbabwe
| SAZ
|
| Abstention
|-
| Armenia
| SARM
| O Member
| Approval
|-
| Belarus
| BELST
| O Member
| Approval
|-
| Costa Rica
| INTECO
| O Member
| Approval
|-
| Croatia
| HZN
| O Member
| Approval
|-
| Cuba
| NC
| O Member
| Approval
|-
| Egypt
| EOS
| O Member
| Approval
|-
| Morocco
| SNIMA
| O Member
| Approval
|-
| Romania
| ASRO
| O Member
| Approval
|-
| Russian Federation
| GOST R
| O Member
| Approval
|-
| Serbia
| ISS
| O Member
| Approval
|-
| Sri Lanka
| SLSI
| O Member
| Approval
|-
| Ukraine
| DSSU
| O Member
| Approval
|-
| Azerbaijan
| AZSTAND
| P Member
| Approval
|-
| Côte-d'Ivoire
| CODINORM
| P Member
| Approval
|-
| Cyprus
| CYS
| P Member
| Approval
|-
| Jamaica
| JBS
| P Member
| Approval
|-
| Kazakhstan
| KAZMEMST
| P Member
| Approval
|-
| Lebanon
| LIBNOR
| P Member
| Approval
|-
| Pakistan
| PSQCA
| P Member
| Approval
|-
| Saudi Arabia
| SASO
| P Member
| Approval
|-
| Bangladesh
| BSTI
|
| Approval
|-
| Barbados
| BNSI
|
| Approval
|-
| Bosnia and Herzegovina
| BAS
|
| Approval
|-
| Congo, The Democratic Republic of
| OCC
|
| Approval
|-
| Fiji
| FTSQCO
|
| Approval
|-
| Kuwait
| KOWSMD
|
| Approval
|-
| Nigeria
| SON
|
| Approval
|-
| Panama
| COPANIT
|
| Approval
|-
| Qatar
| QS
|
| Approval
|-
| Syrian Arab Republic
| SASMO
|
| Approval
|-
| Tanzania, United Rep. of
| TBS
|
| Approval
|-
| United Arab Emirates
| ESMA
|
| Approval
|-
| Uzbekistan
| UZSTANDARD
|
| Approval
|-
| Austria
| ON
| O Member
| Approval with comments
|-
| Bulgaria
| BDS
| O Member
| Approval with comments
|-
| Colombia
| ICONTEC
| O Member
| Approval with comments
|-
| Greece
| ELOT
| O Member
| Approval with comments
|-
| Poland
| PKN
| O Member
| Approval with comments
|-
| Portugal
| IPQ
| O Member
| Approval with comments
|-
| Tunisia
| INNORPI
| O Member
| Approval with comments
|-
| Germany
| DIN
| P Member
| Approval with comments
|-
| Kenya
| KEBS
| P Member
| Approval with comments
|-
| Malta
| MSA
| P Member
| Approval with comments
|-
| Singapore
| SPRING SG
| P Member
| Approval with comments
|-
| Switzerland
| SNV
| P Member
| Approval with comments
|-
| Turkey
| TSE
| P Member
| Approval with comments
|-
| Uruguay
| UNIT
| P Member
| Approval with comments
|-
| Venezuela
| FONDONORMA
| P Member
| Approval with comments
|-
| USA
| ANSI
| Secretariat
| Approval with comments
|-
| Ghana
| GSB
|
| Approval with comments
|-
| Jordan
| JISM
|
| Approval with comments
|-
| Brazil
| ABNT
| O Member
| Disapproval
|-
| Philippines
| BPS
| O Member
| Disapproval
|-
| Thailand
| TISI
| O Member
| Disapproval
|-
| Canada
| SCC
| P Member
| Disapproval
|-
| China
| SAC
| P Member
| Disapproval
|-
| Czech Republic
| CNI
| P Member
| Disapproval
|-
| Denmark
| DS
| P Member
| Disapproval
|-
| Ecuador
| INEN
| P Member
| Disapproval
|-
| France
| AFNOR
| P Member
| Disapproval
|-
| India
| BIS
| P Member
| Disapproval
|-
| Iran, Islamic Republic of
| ISIRI
| P Member
| Disapproval
|-
| Ireland
| NSAI
| P Member
| Disapproval
|-
| Japan
| JISC
| P Member
| Disapproval
|-
| Korea, Republic of
| KATS
| P Member
| Disapproval
|-
| New Zealand
| SNZ
| P Member
| Disapproval
|-
| Norway
| SN
| P Member
| Disapproval
|-
| South Africa
| SABS
| P Member
| Disapproval
|-
| United Kingdom
| BSI
| P Member
| Disapproval
|}>
Belgium
Czech Republic
Germany
India
Netherlands
Trinidad and Tobago
United States
Standardization of Office Open XML
The Office Open XML file formats were standardised between December 2006 and November 2008, first by the Ecma International consortium , and subsequently, after a contentious standardization process, by the ISO/IEC's Joint Technical Committee 1 .- Standardization within Ecma International :More...
, Ecma International
Ecma International
Ecma International is an international, private non-profit standards organization for information and communication systems. It acquired its name in 1994, when the European Computer Manufacturers Association changed its name to reflect the organization's global reach and activities...
submitted its Office Open XML File Formats standard (ECMA-376) to the ISO Fast Track process. After a comment period, the ISO held a ballot that closed September 2007. This has been observed to be perhaps the most controversial and unusual ISO ballot ever convened, both in the number of comments in opposition, and in unusual actions during the voting process. Various factions have strongly supported and opposed this fast track process. On the supporting side were primarily Microsoft affiliated companies; on the opposing side were free- or open-source software organizations, IBM
IBM
International Business Machines Corporation or IBM is an American multinational technology and consulting corporation headquartered in Armonk, New York, United States. IBM manufactures and sells computer hardware and software, and it offers infrastructure, hosting and consulting services in areas...
and affiliates, Sun Microsystems
Sun Microsystems
Sun Microsystems, Inc. was a company that sold :computers, computer components, :computer software, and :information technology services. Sun was founded on February 24, 1982...
, and Google
Google
Google Inc. is an American multinational public corporation invested in Internet search, cloud computing, and advertising technologies. Google hosts and develops a number of Internet-based services and products, and generates profit primarily from advertising through its AdWords program...
.
There have been reports of attempted vote buying, heated verbal confrontations, refusal to come to consensus and other very unusual behavior in national standards bodies.
This is said to be unprecedented for standards bodies, which usually act together and have generally worked to resolve concerns amicably.
87 ISO member countries responded to the five-month ballot. There were 51 votes of "approval", 18 votes of "disapproval" and 18 abstentions. For the measure to pass, of "P" members (participating, as opposed to "O" members: observing) must approve and less than of all voting national members (excluding members that abstain from voting) must disapprove. The ballot shows 53% approval by "P" members and 26% disapproval from the total votes.
Results
The following table shows the results by member of the balloting that ended 2 September 2007:! Standards Body
! Membership
! Vote
|-
| Argentina
| IRAM
| O Member
| Abstention
|-
| Chile
| INN
| O Member
| Abstention
|-
| Israel
| SII
| O Member
| Abstention
|-
| Luxembourg
| SEE
| O Member
| Abstention
|-
| Mexico
| DGN
| O Member
| Abstention
|-
| Peru
| INDECOPI
| O Member
| Abstention
|-
| Viet Nam
| TCVN
| O Member
| Abstention
|-
| Australia
| SA
| P Member
| Abstention
|-
| Belgium
| NBN
| P Member
| Abstention
|-
| Finland
| SFS
| P Member
| Abstention
|-
| Italy
| UNI
| P Member
| Abstention
|-
| Malaysia
| DSM
| P Member
| Abstention
|-
| Netherlands
| NEN
| P Member
| Abstention
|-
| Slovenia
| SIST
| P Member
| Abstention
|-
| Spain
| AENOR
| P Member
| Abstention
|-
| Trinidad and Tobago
| TTBS
| P Member
| Abstention
|-
| Mauritius
| MSB
|
| Abstention
|-
| Zimbabwe
| SAZ
|
| Abstention
|-
| Armenia
| SARM
| O Member
| Approval
|-
| Belarus
| BELST
| O Member
| Approval
|-
| Costa Rica
| INTECO
| O Member
| Approval
|-
| Croatia
| HZN
| O Member
| Approval
|-
| Cuba
| NC
| O Member
| Approval
|-
| Egypt
| EOS
| O Member
| Approval
|-
| Morocco
| SNIMA
| O Member
| Approval
|-
| Romania
| ASRO
| O Member
| Approval
|-
| Russian Federation
| GOST R
| O Member
| Approval
|-
| Serbia
| ISS
| O Member
| Approval
|-
| Sri Lanka
| SLSI
| O Member
| Approval
|-
| Ukraine
| DSSU
| O Member
| Approval
|-
| Azerbaijan
| AZSTAND
| P Member
| Approval
|-
| Côte-d'Ivoire
| CODINORM
| P Member
| Approval
|-
| Cyprus
| CYS
| P Member
| Approval
|-
| Jamaica
| JBS
| P Member
| Approval
|-
| Kazakhstan
| KAZMEMST
| P Member
| Approval
|-
| Lebanon
| LIBNOR
| P Member
| Approval
|-
| Pakistan
| PSQCA
| P Member
| Approval
|-
| Saudi Arabia
| SASO
| P Member
| Approval
|-
| Bangladesh
| BSTI
|
| Approval
|-
| Barbados
| BNSI
|
| Approval
|-
| Bosnia and Herzegovina
| BAS
|
| Approval
|-
| Congo, The Democratic Republic of
| OCC
|
| Approval
|-
| Fiji
| FTSQCO
|
| Approval
|-
| Kuwait
| KOWSMD
|
| Approval
|-
| Nigeria
| SON
|
| Approval
|-
| Panama
| COPANIT
|
| Approval
|-
| Qatar
| QS
|
| Approval
|-
| Syrian Arab Republic
| SASMO
|
| Approval
|-
| Tanzania, United Rep. of
| TBS
|
| Approval
|-
| United Arab Emirates
| ESMA
|
| Approval
|-
| Uzbekistan
| UZSTANDARD
|
| Approval
|-
| Austria
| ON
| O Member
| Approval with comments
|-
| Bulgaria
| BDS
| O Member
| Approval with comments
|-
| Colombia
| ICONTEC
| O Member
| Approval with comments
|-
| Greece
| ELOT
| O Member
| Approval with comments
|-
| Poland
| PKN
| O Member
| Approval with comments
|-
| Portugal
| IPQ
| O Member
| Approval with comments
|-
| Tunisia
| INNORPI
| O Member
| Approval with comments
|-
| Germany
| DIN
| P Member
| Approval with comments
|-
| Kenya
| KEBS
| P Member
| Approval with comments
|-
| Malta
| MSA
| P Member
| Approval with comments
|-
| Singapore
| SPRING SG
| P Member
| Approval with comments
|-
| Switzerland
| SNV
| P Member
| Approval with comments
|-
| Turkey
| TSE
| P Member
| Approval with comments
|-
| Uruguay
| UNIT
| P Member
| Approval with comments
|-
| Venezuela
| FONDONORMA
| P Member
| Approval with comments
|-
| USA
| ANSI
| Secretariat
| Approval with comments
|-
| Ghana
| GSB
|
| Approval with comments
|-
| Jordan
| JISM
|
| Approval with comments
|-
| Brazil
| ABNT
| O Member
| Disapproval
|-
| Philippines
| BPS
| O Member
| Disapproval
|-
| Thailand
| TISI
| O Member
| Disapproval
|-
| Canada
| SCC
| P Member
| Disapproval
|-
| China
| SAC
| P Member
| Disapproval
|-
| Czech Republic
| CNI
| P Member
| Disapproval
|-
| Denmark
| DS
| P Member
| Disapproval
|-
| Ecuador
| INEN
| P Member
| Disapproval
|-
| France
| AFNOR
| P Member
| Disapproval
|-
| India
| BIS
| P Member
| Disapproval
|-
| Iran, Islamic Republic of
| ISIRI
| P Member
| Disapproval
|-
| Ireland
| NSAI
| P Member
| Disapproval
|-
| Japan
| JISC
| P Member
| Disapproval
|-
| Korea, Republic of
| KATS
| P Member
| Disapproval
|-
| New Zealand
| SNZ
| P Member
| Disapproval
|-
| Norway
| SN
| P Member
| Disapproval
|-
| South Africa
| SABS
| P Member
| Disapproval
|-
| United Kingdom
| BSI
| P Member
| Disapproval
|}>
Reconsideration of votes
On 25–29 February 2008, a Ballot Resolution Meeting was held in Geneva, Switzerland, to consider revisions to the OOXML proposal. Under ISO rules, national standards bodies have thirty days following the Ballot Resolution Meeting to reconsider and possibly change their votes.Belgium
- The Belgian Bureau de Normalisation considered the revisions, but failed to reach a consensus on the proposal. Belgium's initial abstention therefore stood.
Czech Republic
- The Český Normalizační Institut considered the revisions and changed its initial vote against the proposal to a vote in favour.
Germany
- The Normenausschusses Informationstechnik und Anwendungen considered the revisions and reaffirmed Germany's initial vote for the proposal.
India
- The Bureau of Indian StandardsBureau of Indian StandardsThe Bureau of Indian Standards is the national Standards Body of India working under the aegis of Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, Government of India. It is established by the Bureau of Indian Standards Act, 1986 which came into effect on 23 December 1986...
considered the revisions and reaffirmed India's initial vote against the proposal.
Netherlands
- The Netherlands Standardization Institute (NEN) considered the revisions and reaffirmed the Netherlands' initial abstention.
Trinidad and Tobago
- The Trinidad and Tobago Bureau of Standards announced that it will change its initial abstention to a vote for the revised proposal.
United States
- The International Committee on Information Technology StandardsINCITSThe InterNational Committee for Information Technology Standards, or INCITS , is an ANSI-accredited forum of IT developers. It was formerly known as the X3 and NCITS....
(INCITS) considered the revisions and reaffirmed the U.S.'s initial vote for the proposal.