Open XML debate a 'riot', says analyst

A leading analyst has called Microsoft's controversial bid to fast-track its Open XML format into becoming an ISO standard has turned into a riot.

Speaking at a Microsoft-hosted event, analyst David Mitchell revealed he used to lecture police on riot control, before eventually becoming the senior vice president of IT research at Ovum. "I thought I would never come back to talking about riot control until I got into the Open XML debate," he claimed.

Mitchell said that people involved in riots fell into two camps: "decent orderly protestors and nutters", and claims that both are participating in the OOXML process. "There are a number of comments that are decent technical debate," he said. "There's also a fair amount of radical activists who are protesting just to cause disruption."

"I feel like getting hold of people and saying 'get a life'," he added. "It's only a document format. It's just got too silly."

Mitchell claimed that opponents of OOXML have resorted to intimidation. "People have been trying to track down what hotels people have been staying at for the BRMs [Ballot Resolution Meetings]. Many voting decisions are not taken until the day. If you've had no sleep on the night before a vote [because of noisy protests], you might change your voting behaviour," he said.

The Ovum analyst also claimed that opponents are making a mountain out of a molehill over minor flaws in the standard. "Just because Microsoft makes mistakes it doesn't mean it's up to something," he argued. "People build specifications, people build software, people make mistakes.

"Microsoft is not perfect. If some of the things said about Microsoft were true, Microsoft would have to be an awfully lot better organised than it is."

Mitchell also attacked the 'no' voters who can't justify their actions. "If people vote no or yes you would really like to know why. I have spoken to some people who've voted no and asked them why and they said 'because we don't like it'. If people are representing their country they should be able to more clearly defend what their national technological position is."

"This a relatively simple process - it's got way out of hand" he added.

Mitchell finally offered his hosts some advice, cautioning them to "chill out" when the criticism reaches fever pitch. "The more you fan the flames the more it gets worse. If you get upset personally and react to it, it gets worse."

Sadly it appeared Microsoft hasn't taken the analyst's advice. Included in its gargantuan press pack for the event is an eight-page document entitled "Open XML and ODF Adoption: Separating Fact From Fiction" which contrasts the so-called "FUD" from Microsoft's opponents with Microsoft's "facts".

The third page of the document claims that "Microsoft has never opposed [rival format] ODF before governments, ISO, or elsewhere." Page seven then lists the positions of various US states on document formats, which includes headlines such as "Oregon: ODF is too expensive to implement" and "Texas: ODF implementation costs too high and credibility too low."

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