Format Standards Committee "Grinds To a Halt" 271
Andy Updegrove writes "Microsoft's OOXML did not get enough votes to be approved the first time around in ISO/IEC — notwithstanding the fact that many countries joined the Document Format and Languages committee in the months before voting closed, almost all of them voting to approve OOXML. Unfortunately, many of these countries also traded up to 'P' level membership at the last minute to gain more influence. Now the collateral damage is setting in. At least 50% of P members must vote (up, down, or abstain) on every standard at each ballot — and none of the new members are bothering to vote, despite repeated pleas from the committee chair. Not a single ballot has passed since the OOXML vote closed. In the chairman's words, the committee has 'ground to a halt.' Sad to say, there's no end in sight for this (formerly) very busy and influential standards committee."
Don't worry (Score:5, Funny)
gridlock (Score:5, Funny)
See that? American style democracy is popular overseas.
Yikes! (Score:1, Funny)
Re:Hamstrung (Score:5, Funny)
I propose the "International Microsoft Sucks Standards Organization" (IMSSO).
Bylaws:
1. Before any vote, all members must stand and re-affirm their (legally binding) pledge to destroy Microsoft, Windows, and all that is associated with them
2. This is followed by the singing of the "Microsoft Sucks" song.
Microsoft doesn't make bugs only in computer (Score:3, Funny)
Now, that a big bad corporation, that have enought power to stop the ISO process.
Ok, Bill what the next move, are you resposible for the Sun to shutoff [slashdot.org], just because you don't know the difference between Sun [sun.com] and the SUN [wikipedia.org] ?
What about your Social responsibility [wikipedia.org].
In a normal country, this kind of organisation would have been shutoff for long.
Microsoft...AGAIN! (Score:2, Funny)
Re:Countermeasures or Corruption? (Score:3, Funny)
Re:That gives me an idea... (Score:4, Funny)
Re:Hamstrung (Score:5, Funny)
You know, I'm all in favor of more organizations for anti-Microsoft geeks, but I've got to warn you that asking us to sing can only end in tragedy. [gnu.org]
Patch Tuesday (Score:3, Funny)
To the tune of Knights of the Round Table (Score:4, Funny)
We're Members of the IMSSO,
We bash Bill when ere we're able,
We hate his bloat and legal scenes
And File Allocation Table.
We dine well here in Slashdot,
We eat grits and chips and bawls a lot.
We're Members of the IMSSO,
Our Vista hatred is formidable,
But many times, we're given rhymes
That are quite unsingable.
We're burning time in Slashdot,
We laugh at flying chairs
a looooooot.
In flame wars we're tough and able,
Quite indefatigable,
Between our WoW raids and tinfoil hats,
and mockery of what they call "stable".
Most of us know here at Slashdot,
Microsoft really sucks a lot!
Re:Hamstrung (Score:3, Funny)
And... it costs 42 Swiss francs to buy the actual document.
Calling P-members, Pmembers, P-MEMBERS!! (Score:3, Funny)
Emperor or Chair-Man?
"and none of the new members are bothering to vote, despite repeated pleas from the committee chair. "
They will not listen to the committee chair. If the Chair-Man shouts "P-members!, P-members!!, P-members!!!"
Re:Hamstrung (Score:2, Funny)