The Hindu Business Line : BIS maintains stance against Open XML

e-document standards
Open XML or Open Document Format: Debate has been on for the past few months.
ODF standard is being supported by IBM, Sun, Red Hat and others; Microsoft backs OXML
ISO decision could have a bearing on procurement of software by Government.

Our Bureau

New Delhi, March 21

In a disappointment for Microsoft, the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) on Thursday decided to stick to its earlier stance of ‘disapprove vote’ on Microsoft-backed Open XML becoming an ISO standard for electronic document creation and storage.

“While we are disappointed with the decision of the BIS committee, we are very encouraged by the support of IT industry players such as Nasscom, TCS, Wipro and Infosys Technologies who voted in favour of Open XML becoming an ISO standard. We will continue to work with the government to address any concerns they may have; and to achieve its stated goal of technology neutrality,” Microsoft said in a statement here.

BIS is the nodal agency representing India at the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO). Standards are technical specifications that allow developers of software and services to make and distribute products that interoperate with each other. The debate between standards for electronic documents – Open XML and Open Document Format - has been building-up over the past few months. The ODF standard is being supported by companies like IBM, Sun, Red Hat and others. The issue assumes significance as once a standard gets adopted as an ISO standard, it could have a bearing on procurement of software by Government.

Open XML was approved by Ecma International in December 2006, and then submitted by them for standardisation at the ISO. At the conclusion of the Ballot process, the BIS voted a ‘disapprove with 82 comments’ in September 2007 for Open XML. Between September 2007 and January 2008, Ecma International worked on and submitted proposed dispositions to all the comments, all of which were discussed during the Ballot Resolution Meeting last month; and 1011 of them adopted by consensus.

“The concerns raised by a BIS committee have been addressed by the ISO and Ecma International with a majority of the comments getting addressed at the recently concluded Ballot Resolution Meeting (BRM) at Geneva. We hoped that 98.73 per cent of the total 1027 comments from all national bodies stood resolved at the BRM would be welcomed by the BIS, as it has been by the national bodies of numerous countries,” Microsoft said today. The ISO would take a decision after March 29, the last date for receiving votes from all member nations.

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