Rumours of Microsoft becoming more frequentable seem greatly overrated

Just back from the OOoCon I was taking some times reading my email and I am afraid what I saw does not push me into believing that Microsoft has amended much of its ways. I guess we cannot do much about it, and it’s Halloween season anyway.

• Just when we thought the European Commission was leading the way in getting rid of proprietary and foreign technology, helping Europe master its digital independence, the second draft of the EIF v2 (European Interoperability Framework) got leaked last week.  The draft contents are nothing short of appalling. Open Standards are simply erased from the document and Open Source seems to be considered as some shameful condition that needs to be discarded as a possible option for the European digital infrastructure, and reading in between the lines one may get the perception that it might just all be easier in a pure Microsoft environment. I understand that some people are whispering in the corner that Jonathan Zuck stands again behind the leak, but I really have no opinion on that. Go figure who leaks the leaks. Anyway, this might keep some of its credibility if we are to believe this representative of the Polish government, who basically explains that the leaked draft is, well, not a draft but something that does not seem to emanate from the Commission. Here and there outraged reactions have been heard. The good folks at OpenForum Europe who are usually known for their moderation, have spelled it out quite clearly in this press release. Another reaction from another insider in Brussels is also quite telling of a situation where entire pieces of legislation are being hijacked by the will of lobbies while the citizens of the European Union would like more control over the Union’s growingly opaque policy making structures. Basic mental and political sanity would recommend that this leak was actually a leak of a real draft of the EIF or another manipulation by some lobbies pushing an anti-competitive agenda by sabotaging open standards and open source.
• If that weren’t enough, Jomar Silva from the ODF Alliance Brazil has posted its latest revelations about the infamous Ballot Resolution Meeting (BRM) on OOXML in Geneva and how Alex Brown, its dubious convener, did everything to stop some delegations asking some interesting questions. It is amazing to see how international processes can be bent towards one and the same goal.

Halloween season, I tell you…