ODF vs. OOXML: Microsoft Has Mastered the Art of Unfair Play (Updated)

There is no doubt that the stakes in the Open Document Format (ODF) vs. Open XML standardization process are high. Microsoft and IBM have each invested huge sums of money in their version of what the standard should be. Unlike Microsoft, which is pushing its own proprietary vision of what the standard should be, IBM has been in the corner of ODF. How committed has IBM been to this? So committed that the latest release of Lotus Notes includes desktop productivity tools. These tools are free and are designed to give organizations an alternative to the Microsoft view of the world. These tools are based on ODF. However, the battle is getting ugly as the time for a vote appears, and Microsoft has really pushed the rules of the process to the limit. And even though they are playing within the rules, their actions are so transparent that anyone can read the marked cards. They are very simply using their deep cash reserves to buy the votes needed to get their way.

The adoption of a standard is supposed to be an open, transparent process. Any companies interested in participating in the standard setting process in any significant way have to pay a fee to get a seat at the table. Many companies played by the rules and participated in the process. And it was becoming clear that Microsoft was not getting there way. In the recent vote in Sweden, it looked like Microsoft was going to lose. So what does Microsoft do? They pull the cards out of their sleeve and in a way that competing interests have no time to react. . Out of nowhere, Microsoft Business Partners are ponying up the $US2,444 to get a vote just in time for the vote. The final vote was in favor of Microsoft: 25 Yes, 6 No and 3 Abstentions. And what newly paid up companies, as posted on OS/2 World, made the difference?:

Camako Data AB (Microsoft Gold Certified Partner)
Connecta AB (Microsoft Gold Certified Partner)
Cornerstone Sweden AB (Microsoft Gold Certified Partner)
Cybernetics (Microsoft Gold Certified Partner)
Emric AB
Exor AB (Microsoft Certified Partner)
Fishbone Systems AB (Microsoft Gold Certified Partner)
Formpipe Software (Microsoft Gold Certified Partner)
FS System AB
Google
HP (Microsoft Gold Certified Partner)
IBizkit AB (Microsoft Certified Partner)
IDE Nätverkskonsulterna (Microsoft Gold Certified Partner)
IT-Vision AB
Know IT (Microsoft Gold Certified Partner)
Modul1 (Microsoft Gold Certified Partner)
Nordic Station AB (Microsoft Certified Partner)
ReadSoft AB (Microsoft Certified Partner)
Sogeti (Microsoft Gold Certified Partner)
Solid Park AB (Microsoft Gold Certified Partner)
SourceTech AB
Strand Interconnect AB (Microsoft Gold Certified Partner)
TietoEnator (Microsoft Gold Certified Partner)

Eighteen (18) of these companies are Microsoft Gold Certified Partners that turn up out of the blue. They had never participated in the standards formulation process, yet they were allowed to vote. Without them, it is unlikely that Microsoft would have prevailed. It is clear that something is rotten here and the standard setting process is flawed. It would be nice if each of these Microsoft Partners would sign an affidavit in a court of law stating that they did not receive the sign-up money from Microsoft or that there was no quid pro quo for their participation.

I want to make it clear that I do not have a vested interest in either standard and that I have for or with IBM since 1999 as an employee or business partner. My interest is that everyone play fairly in the process. Once again, Microsoft never lets me down...they played unfairly . Sure it may have been within the rules. But as I often say: just because you can does not mean you should, I am very happy that IBM has taken the high road in this process.

UPDATE: Apparently SourceTech AB just became a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner. So please, someone at Microsoft please tell me there is no quid pro quo going on here?

Related Links

OS/2 World: Microsoft buys the Swedish vote on OOXML
Consortiuminfo.org: The OOXML Vote: How Bad Can it Get? (Keep Counting)