Chinese academics and software developers gathered in Beijing yesterday to voice their opposition to Microsoft’s latest standard document format Office Open XML (OOXML).

I’ve mentioned before that whatever happens with the JTC1 ballot that closes on September 2, there will be a lengthy process that follows it before OOXML ever becomes an ISO/IEC standard, if that does come to pass.

When an animal gets cornered, it becomes afraid. That’s when it becomes irrationally aggressive. Microsoft has truly become an animal recently and it shows.

"The other day I advocated giving Microsoft the benefit of the doubt with regards to its attutude to open source, with the proviso that even with that benefit the company’s actions would still sometimes inevitably be seen in a bad light."

"Even though the JTC1 ballot closes on September 2 on Microsoft’s product description for Microsoft Office, namely OOXML or DIS 29500, this will not become an ISO/IEC standard in 2007."

The quest for OpenDocument gets grounded by the hard realities of Microsoft Office-bound business processes. What's next for enterprise users who really want document interoperability?

"As you will recall, V1, the INCITS Technical Committee that addresses document format standards, was unable to reach consensus on a recommended US vote to either approve or reject DIS 29500, the draft ISO/IEC standard that describes Microsoft's OOXML formats. As expected, Microsoft is seeking to gain a US vote in favor of OOXML..."

"Like the Terminator – just when the monster machine seems defeated, it always somehow rises again – Microsoft's push for international standards status for its Office document formats refuses to die."