Comments for IT and politics http://log.openxp.net Where Linux and standards meet patents and Internets. Wed, 13 Jan 2010 11:57:27 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ Comment on “Microsoft PDF” not to be made an ISO standard? by Caleb Smith http://log.openxp.net/2009/04/13/microsoft-pdf-not-to-be-made-an-iso-standard/#comment-647 Wed, 13 Jan 2010 11:57:27 +0000 http://log.openxp.net/?p=364#comment-647 Good old microsoft..What more can you say :)

]]> Comment on European Patent Office asks itself about software patents by Patents Roundup: Microsoft Likes Patent Deform, OIN to Strike Back, EU Still Besieged for Software Patents | Boycott Novell http://log.openxp.net/2009/03/22/european-patent-office-asks-itself-about-software-patents/#comment-354 Mon, 06 Apr 2009 06:55:04 +0000 http://log.openxp.net/?p=324#comment-354 [...] and it hires lobbying guns for the job. On the face of it, the EPO is selling out and here is the explanation provided by one person a fortnight ago: Sadly, the questions posed to the EBA are mined with typical EPO philosophy including their [...]

]]> Comment on Swedish wiretapping war by The Swedish wiretapping law explained http://log.openxp.net/2008/08/27/swedish-wiretapping-war/#comment-62 Thu, 18 Sep 2008 11:51:24 +0000 http://vuorio.wordpress.com/?p=157#comment-62 [...] IT & politics: Swedish wiretapping war [...]

]]> Comment on EU and terrorism by Stefan Gustavson http://log.openxp.net/2007/09/13/eu-and-terrorism/#comment-10 Thu, 13 Sep 2007 10:24:00 +0000 http://vuorio.wordpress.com/2007/09/13/eu-and-terrorism/#comment-10 “Kill” is a dangerous word? It can be found in milions of articles and works of literature. It would suddenly be illegal to search for web-based information on “To Kill a Mockingbird”. That’s silly.

And “genocide” is a dangerous word? What is more probable: a person googling for “genocide for dummies” in a plan to actually commit genocide, or a person looking for historical information on genocide for educational purposes?

Blocking “dangerous words” would certainly make some Nazi historical revisionists happy. Imagine a world where you can not find any online material on genocide. That would be their wet dream.

]]> Comment on Black sheep by Stefan Gustavson http://log.openxp.net/2007/09/11/black-sheep/#comment-9 Wed, 12 Sep 2007 09:18:00 +0000 http://vuorio.wordpress.com/2007/09/11/black-sheep/#comment-9 > I’m getting somewhat bored due to the low quality of (most?) pro-OOXML arguments.

I agree, we have seen very little of real constructive debate. All contradictions found were rejected by ECMA as not being contradictions at all, and that kind of response has continued. Many objections have been met with “You do not understand this issue, so it is inappropriate for you to raise that objection, and therefore we will not comment on it further. Next, please.”

That is a very rude and strange approach, particularly when objections are in fact raised by experts in the relevant fields. If not even they understand what is so great about OOXML, people obviously need to be educated on the subject, or it will be assumed that there is in fact nothing good about it.

In politics, it is a last resort dirty method to insult the intelligence of your opponent and refuse to respond. “It is obvious that you are stupid, so I will not even try to answer your likewise stupid question.” Constructive discussion to reach an agreement is at the very heart of standards work, so it’s sad to see such tactics being used here.

]]> Comment on OOXML, preliminary ISO vote results by Stefan Gustavson http://log.openxp.net/2007/09/03/ooxml-preliminary-iso-vote-results/#comment-8 Mon, 03 Sep 2007 12:39:00 +0000 http://vuorio.wordpress.com/2007/09/03/ooxml-preliminary-iso-vote-results/#comment-8 If the vote does not pass with 2/3 majority of “yes” in this ballot, the regular procedure is that there will be a ballot resolution meeting in February after a 5 month ballot resolution process. The only possibility for not having that ballot resolution meeting is if ISO decides that the comments are “unresolvable”, i.e. can not be addressed to the satisfaction of enough “no” voters. In that case the project is canceled (“deleted”) by ISO, and DIS 29500 does not progress further towards an FDIS and a final ISO standard. (Deleting DIS 29500 would probably mean that ECMA revises the standard and submits it again some time in the future.)

In my opinion, a deletion by ISO would be the logical outcome, but this process has been far from logical so far, so I don’t expect that to happen. Apart from the many technical issues, the overall low quality and huge size of DIS 29500 make me think that it would take a whole lot more than five months to get it right, but ISO and the project editor from ECMA might think otherwise.

Of course, there is always the quick and dirty fix: do not address any comments at all, but rely on Microsoft to “encourage” more “yes”-countries to become P-members and vote “yes” for the ballot resolution meeting. Newcomers to JTC1 joining between now and February will be allowed to vote, and they do not have to state any reasons for voting “yes” without comments.

]]> Comment on NyT: "Microsoft admits SiS voting coup" by David Vuorio http://log.openxp.net/2007/08/29/nyt-microsoft-admits-sis-voting-coup/#comment-7 Wed, 29 Aug 2007 16:31:00 +0000 http://vuorio.wordpress.com/2007/08/29/nyt-microsoft-admits-sis-voting-coup/#comment-7 I clarified it, thanks.

This is based on a list of present members that I received from SiS.

]]> Comment on NyT: "Microsoft admits SiS voting coup" by Jonas http://log.openxp.net/2007/08/29/nyt-microsoft-admits-sis-voting-coup/#comment-6 Wed, 29 Aug 2007 16:24:00 +0000 http://vuorio.wordpress.com/2007/08/29/nyt-microsoft-admits-sis-voting-coup/#comment-6 What was this meeting and where did you get the information?

]]> Comment on Microsoft’s Office coup in Sweden by The Wraith http://log.openxp.net/2007/08/29/microsofts-office-coup-in-sweden/#comment-5 Wed, 29 Aug 2007 14:47:00 +0000 http://vuorio.wordpress.com/2007/08/29/microsofts-office-coup-in-sweden/#comment-5 Allthough they wouldn’t be binding there is a lot of precedent within ISO standardization that as many comments as possible will be adressed in ballot resolution.

OASIS created a v1.0 second edition for OpenDocument just from comments that were gathered from yes with comments votes during the ballot resolution phase.

Allthough it might not be binding comments that contribute to a better specification will always be welcomed. It would be a waste to throw that away.

]]> Comment on Microsoft’s Office coup in Sweden by David Vuorio http://log.openxp.net/2007/08/29/microsofts-office-coup-in-sweden/#comment-4 Wed, 29 Aug 2007 14:24:00 +0000 http://vuorio.wordpress.com/2007/08/29/microsofts-office-coup-in-sweden/#comment-4 I meant: “Yes with technical comments” is IMO an artificial construct. But also, while comments can be appended to a yes vote, they wouldn’t be binding.

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