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1232009 submission

Submission + - OOXML ISO specs leaked (boycottnovell.com)

Submitted by

David Gerard

on Saturday October 04, 2008 @02:41PM

David Gerard writes: "BoycottNovell has leaked the ISO OOXML documents: 'In light of the systematic abuse and the demise of ISO, which IBM loudly protested against [1, 2], we shall no longer let this process remain secretive. We finally have complete copies of the documents which the shenanigans keep behind passwords (unlike ODF which they attack).'"

2295359 comment

Comment Re:New Zealand : wonder what Weta think (Score 1) 155

by zoobab on Wednesday September 24, 2008 @02:10PM (#25139641) Attached to: Sept 24 Is World Day Against Software Patents

The Government of New Zealand is proposing a set of amendments to the national patent law, none of them clearly mentions the exclusions of software from the field of patentability. The Government claims that Free Trade Agreements and other international treaties requires software patents in New Zealand.

http://stopsoftwarepatents.org/forum/t-91796/government-in-new-zealand-pushes-for-software-patents

I would be you, I would contact immediately your Member of Parliament, and your Government to find out what is going on.

1191917 submission

Submission + - 24-Sept is World Day against Software Patents (stopsoftwarepatents.org)

Submitted by

zoobab

on Sunday September 21, 2008 @11:53AM

zoobab writes: "Veteran European anti-software patent campaigners have launched the World Day against Software Patents, writing: "The issue of software patents is a global one, and several governments and patent offices around the world continue to grant software & business method patents on a daily basis; they are pushing for legal codification of the practice, such as currently in New Zealand and India. We declare the 24 September as the World Day Against Software Patents, in commemoration of the European Parliament First Reading in 2003 with amendments stopping the harmful patenting of software, guaranteeing that software programmers and businesses can safely benefit from the fruits of their work under copyright law.""

1147633 submission

Submission + - McCain advised by software patent campaigner

Submitted by

Elektroschock

on Thursday September 04, 2008 @04:39PM

Elektroschock writes: "The campaign of Presidential Candidate John McCain was recently represented by Ray L. Gifford in the field of software patent policy, the former president of the Progress & Freedom Foundation (PFF), a notorious lobby group for tobacco, software patents and against open source. A few month ago lobbyists from the DCI group had to leave McCain's campaign team because they did not only lobby for software patents also but also for the Burma regime."

1105705 submission

Submission + - 24-Sept is World Day against Software Patents

Submitted by

pieterh

on Thursday August 28, 2008 @12:25PM

pieterh writes: "Veteran European anti-software campaigners have launched World Day against Software Patents on StopSoftwarePatents.org, writing: "The issue of software patents is a global one, and several governments and patent offices around the world continue to grant software & business method patents on a daily basis; they are pushing for legal codification of the practice, such as currently in New Zealand and India, and via the misappropriation of Free Trade Agreement instruments. We declare the 24 September as the World Day Against Software Patents, in commemoration of the European Parliament First Reading in 2003 with amendments stopping the harmful patenting of software, guaranteeing that software programmers and businesses can safely benefit from the fruits of their work under copyright law.""

685664 submission

Submission + - South Africa appeals to ISO against OOXML (openmalaysiablog.com)

Submitted by

yoonkit

on Friday May 23, 2008 @08:09AM

yoonkit writes: "The South African national body (SABS) has submitted an official appeal against DIS 29500 (Microsoft Office OpenXML) to ISO and IEC stating "deep concerns" on the contradictions raised early in the process, "challenges" the interpretation of the ISO directives on the conduct of the ballot resolution meeting (BRM) and the inappropriateness of the fast-tracking of the large DIS. [PDF and transcript available.] Steve Pepper, ex-Chair of the Norwegian TC who lead the demonstration against OOXML, also urges "other national body members of JTC1 to declare their support for this appeal. Let's make it impossible for ISO and IEC to simply wave it aside.""

470346 submission

Submission + - Europeans to shut down internet downloaders

Submitted by

Elektroschock

on Wednesday January 16, 2008 @08:35AM

Elektroschock writes: "European politicians have sometimes funny ideas. They want to shut down internet connections of downloaders. The European governments are suggested to ask ISPs to use internet filtering technology. However, another proposed amendment suggests a dialogue with 'P2P website designers'. The author of the original 'Cultural Industries' draft report is Guy Bono, a French politican. Some guys may remember 'Cultural Industries' as a slander phrase of Horkheimer/Adorno's dialectic of enlightenment(1944), marxist theory. More light please!"

470340 submission

Submission + - Europe on the way to filter the internet

Submitted by

pachybytes

on Wednesday January 16, 2008 @08:30AM

pachybytes writes: "A report on "Cultural Industries" will be adopted next Tuesday in the European Parliament (CULT committee) which is requesting the suspension of internet connections for those who download copyrighted material, together with mandatory internet filtering measures for ISPs all over Europe. The amendment is proposed by british conservative MEP Christopher Heaton-Harris. Some other amendments also covers "P2P website designers". It might be a good idea to contact Members of the European Parliament and ask them to reject this intrusive proposal."

386061 submission

Submission + - Microsoft will vote on Open XML

Submitted by

Elektroschock

on Monday November 19, 2007 @11:56AM

Elektroschock writes: "Rui Seabra reveals that the national standard organisation of Portugal plans to sent Microsoft as head of its ISO delegation to the Ballot Resolution meeting in Geneve. The Ballot Resolution Meeting (BRM) will work on amendments to the Open XML standard (DIS 29500) as put forward by ECMA International. The meeting will be held behind closed doors and last 5 days. While Microsoft would get privileged access and voting rights other interested stakeholders for instance Portuguese SMEs and software develoeprs are excluded from participation and review. The head of the delegation will exercise all voting rights for the nation, here Portugal. All national ISO members need to submit their list of delegates to ISO until Dec 11."

266203 submission

Submission + - Rodriguez slaughters Open XML

Submitted by

Elektroschock

on Saturday August 25, 2007 @02:42PM

Elektroschock writes: "Stephane Rodriguez, a reengineering specialist who became popular for his article on MS-Office 2007 binary data, slaughters Microsoft's new Open XML format. With small case studies he demonstrates the disadvantages for third party developers. His conclusion: It is 'defective by design'. Next week members of the International Standard Organisation are likely to approve the format as a second official ISO standard for office documents. However, most nations submitted comments. Rodriguez claims to be "not affiliated to any pro-MS or anti-MS party/org/ass"."

206547 submission

Submission + - Two standards - more choice, or less?

Submitted by

pieterh

on Wednesday June 27, 2007 @07:40AM

pieterh writes: "There's a fierce argument raging about whether the world needs a single document standard (ISO26300), or two. On the one hand, advocates of Microsoft's 'Office Open XML' (aka OOXML) format say that two standards means more choice for consumers. On the other hand, groups like the FFII argue that two standards for documents is not really about consumer choice, and more about maintaining Microsoft's office monopoly. There has also been harsh criticism of Microsoft's format, a petition that has raised 10,000 signatures in a week, and the promise of a cash prize in the fight against OOXML."

205843 submission

Submission + - Say No to OOXML as a Standard

Submitted by topcat-n-ep on Tuesday June 26, 2007 @01:40PM

topcat-n-ep writes: Every oppression ultimately wades away in the tide of a revolution.Open source has been the revolution answering to the oppression of proprietary monopolies. Now the Borg tries to rise again using its old trick of assimilating innocent consumers. By proposing their OOXML format as a standard they hope to counter Open Source initiatives like the ODF standard — standards that have no ulterior motive other than benefiting the consumer. It is the job of all us Captain Kirks — captains of a fair world, to boldly kick them.....in line ;). Please take the time to go through the worldwide petition against OOXML as a standard at http://www.noooxml.org/petition

205641 submission

Submission + - OOXML evaluation (fsfeurope.org)

Submitted by

H4x0r Jim Duggan

on Tuesday June 26, 2007 @11:24AM

H4x0r Jim Duggan writes: "With the holiday season about to make consensus work impractical, most national standards groups will decide in the next week or two whether to recommend MS's OOXML format for ISO standardisation. There's been a lot of private lobbying, and none has made MS's 6,000 page standard easy to review. With that in mind, FSFE have published Six questions to national standardisation bodies. If they think MS's standard answers "yes" to each question, they should approve. If not, they should reject. There's also a petition."

200097 submission

Submission + - ANSI receiving spam letters pro MS's Open XML

Submitted by omz on Tuesday June 19, 2007 @08:11PM

omz writes: this site reports that ANSI is publishing on a day to day basis all the comments received on the proposed OOXML specification. All the messages looks like this. But some submitters identifies the source of the spam: "Even though this is a form letter from Microsoft I thought I would add this personal touch..." Rob Weir's advice about "support form letters": [i]f you want to provide input into this process [...d]on't send in a form letter. It hurts your cause more than helps it, since it makes it look like you couldn't get real support if you tried.

199747 submission

Submission + - Microsoft Astroturfing ANSI in Favor of OOXML (noooxml.org)

Submitted by

Beware of Steves With Lawn Chairs

on Tuesday June 19, 2007 @02:38PM

Beware of Steves With Lawn Chairs writes: "Astroturfers are at it again. Now, ANSI is getting pro-OOXML form letters. But not all of them are without a personal touch, one said: "Even though this is a form letter from Microsoft I thought I would add this personal touch. I understand that there is a monetary drive from Microsoft in allowing Open XML to become an ISO standard[.]" Feel free to browse through all the comments yourself."

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