The Document Foundation (TDF), the organization behind LibreOffice, has publicly criticized Microsoft for its role in the international standardization of Office Open XML (OOXML). TDF claims that Microsoft manipulated the standardization process in the mid-2000s to ensure OOXML was approved by ISO/IEC, rather than supporting the open ODF standard.
The conflict intensified in 2006 after the state of Massachusetts announced plans to adopt ODF. TDF alleges that Microsoft pushed OOXML through the 'Fast Track' procedure at Ecma International, despite the specification spanning approximately 6,000 pages. Initial voting in 2007 failed due to technical objections from countries including Brazil, India, France, and Norway.
TDF alleges that Microsoft influenced national standards bodies to secure approval. Reports indicate that the Italian committee grew from 5 to over 80 members, including firms linked to Microsoft, while the Norwegian committee head resigned in protest. In 2008, ISO/IEC approved OOXML as ISO/IEC 29500, which Microsoft subsequently implemented in Office 2010.
TDF argues that Microsoft failed to transition to the 'Strict' version of the standard as promised, with most software still utilizing the 'Transitional' format. The foundation asserts that this reliance on OOXML creates long-term compatibility issues and reinforces Microsoft's market dominance, urging organizations to prioritize open standards like ODF.
