NoOOXML

In France, AFNOR (French Association for Standarts) is responsible for
the validation as an ISO norm for OpenXML

The country is also due to choose its own ISO standarts and determine
whether OpenXML and Open DOCUMENT are appropriate for an ISO standart.

Frédéric Bon is the chairman of the commission in charge of OpenXML
standart. However, he is also CEO of CLEVER AGE, a French company due to
develop the OpenDocument connector for Office 2007. CLEVER AGE obviously
knows what they're talking about, but Mr Bon is employed by Microsoft
and that raises the question of partiality

This commission also welcomes representatives of free softwares like
APRIL (Parisian LUG) or AFUL (French LUG), yet AFNOR has imposed such a
weight of secret that debates lack transparency.

It is true that AFNOR has agreed to invite these associations but only
as a foil. Debates are hold without their argumens taken into account.

All reports are either wrong or don't take into account the positions
against OpenXML. There's always a good reason to reject them. Government
officials who take part in the debates have no precise instructions from
their minister and don't dare to side for or against the project.

The commission seems to have already made its mind.They also act as if
the details stopping OpenXML to be qualified were to be erased.
A decision will be made at the end of August but the die seems already
cast. Microsoft lobbying will eventually succeed if this commission has
no transparency.