Open XML - Time to have your say?
Following on from my earlier rant... on the 2nd April Ecma announced...
“Ecma International welcomes the continuation of the ISO/IEC DIS 29500 process for Ecma-376: Office Open XML File Formats with the 5-month ballot by the national members of ISO and IEC” said Dr. Istvan Sebestyen, new Secretary General of Ecma International. ”We look forward to working with ISO/IEC and their Member Bodies and National Committees to address any technical issues that they may have about Office Open XML and look forward to Ecma-376 Office Open XML becoming an ISO/IEC standard”.
The whole problem space of document archival is huge and, having recently met again with the guys who have to deal with this problem for the UK (the National Archives), in my view it is really essential that the major document formats are elevated to de jure standards rather than remaining de facto.
If, like me, you have an interest in electronic document standardisation and you'd like to see Office Open XML become an ISO standard why not make your voice heard by contacting your ISO reps and letting them know? (the UK is represented by the BSI and this is their contact address).
