INCITS re-affirms 'Yes' on OOXML; voting (and debate) continues

As expected, the executive board of INCITS, the group representing U.S. interests in ISO, voted in favor of Microsoft Corp.'s Office Open XML specification.

The tally on Friday was 11 in favor, 4 against, 1 abstention (IEEE) and 1 not available (Intel). Opponents were IBM, Adobe, Oracle and Farance, Inc. Proponents were Apple, EMC, HP, Lexmark, Microsoft, Sony; government agencies such as DHS, DOD and NIST; and trade groups such as the Electronic Industries Alliance and GS1 US. Neither Qualcomm Inc. nor AIM Global Inc. voted; they are listed on INCITS' site (current as of 1/25/08) as being members.

Last August, the vote was a nearly identical 12-3 (with 1 abstention) in favor of Open XML. 

In its comments, IBM says that it conducted a random test of the specification and found 19 technical defects, including several serious ones. It also reiterates complaints that the V1 technical committee was dominated by Microsoft business partners, and that the fast-track process is not long enough to address such a massive specification.

Oracle also complained about the fast-track process, but also wrote "we would support introduction of the latest revision of the DIS 29500 specification into the normal process where the numerous outstanding technical concerns could be properly addressed."

Similarly, Adobe wrote that it "has no opposition to the standardization of OOXML" but it is "concerned" about the use of fast track.

Though OOXML garnered the two-thirds majority needed, INCITS cannot yet submit a 'Yes' vote to ISO. Rather, it must start a process of proposing and voting on resolutions approving, abstaining from or disapproving OOXML. Those resolutions can be decided by a two-thirds majority (see page 33 of this INCITS PDF , or page 39 in Acrobat Reader)