After a colossal amount of debate and discussion over the last one year, India has finally voted NO for OOXML. Today the committee was asked "Should India change its September 2007 No vote into Yes?"
13 members voted No
5 members (including Microsoft, of course) voted Yes.
1 member abstained
3 did not attend
The government bodies, academic institutions and industry voted against OOXML. The only people who voted for OOXML were the software exporters--TCS, Infosys, Wipro and NASSCOM (National Association of Software Services Companies).
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6 comments:
I have read it somewhere that you guys have managed to have on that on vote meeting you had only members who voted on Sept 2nd? Does taht mean that your TC membership was changed? Any stuffing from any side? Tnx
While it was understandable for TCS, Infosys and Wipro to vote for OOXML (after all they have business relations with Microsoft, and have to safeguard shareholder interests), the fact that NASSCOM voted for it (instead of abstaining, the way MAIT apparently did) is unforgivable and clearly shows just how bad things have become at NASSCOM. They certainly do not represent the interests of the industry anymore.
BTW - despite all the hype, the result was really a foregone conclusion. Since the majority of voters were organizations that would have been negatively affected if OOXML became a standard (the IITs, the IIMs, Government organizations,etc,), it was clear that they would vote against OOXML. That meant that the big software exporters who voted FOR OOXML were really quite safe - even if they disagreed with OOXML, they could vote for it (and keep Microsoft happy) and still be quite sure that it would get defeated. :)
May be I am asking the obvious, but did OSI India vote NO following the new rules:
http://www.groklaw.net/article.php?story=20080319130708601
Someone has already asked this on groklaw and it would be reassuring to know that nothing has been missed, given the depths to which Microsoft can descend to manipulate proceedings.
Server, the new rule applies only if the national bodies want to change their initial vote. India is just maintaining Status Quo.
Atul, I agree, NASSCOM could have abstained. However, many people working in my org seem to be taking sides with M$ and fail to understand the concern of the govt.s or academic institutions.
They are quite befuddled between file format & software application. They claim that MS Office is a very great app (I agree to a certain extent, particularly when combined with Exchange/Outlook, etc.) and that M$ is justified in not including support for ODF just because MS Office has the hugest installation and that nobody else has any business trying to force M$ into anything.
It is NASSCOM who is the surprise here. TCS, Wipro and Infosys don't require excuses to be pro OOXML. Why NASSCOM ? And what does it gain ?
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