Microsoft Gets Its Way: OOXML Format Approved by the ISO / IEC

Microsoft is so excited over the news about the Open Office XML format (OOXML), it's not even waiting for the official announcement to issue a press release. While no official announcement has been made, the press release indicates that documents available on the Internet indicate that:

86 percent of all voting national body members support ISO/IEC standardization, well above the 75 percent requirement for formal acceptance under ISO and IEC rules. In addition, 75 percent of the voting Participating national body members (known as P-members) support standardization, also well above the 66.7 percent requirement for this group.

At the same time, Ecma International, the submitting organization for OOXML, announced the approval in its own press release.

OOXML is the default format in Office 2007, and while the majority of Office 2007 users I know - as well as myself - continue to use the Office 2003 compatible file format, approval by ISO will help Microsoft in the government software market. OOXML was approved as an Ecma standard in 2006 but it failed to win approval in a 2007 vote.

In Microsoft's press release, Tom Robertson, general manager of Interoperability and Standards at Microsoft said:

"With 86 percent of voting national bodies supporting ratification, there is overwhelming support for Open XML. This outcome is a clear win for the customers, technology providers and governments that want to choose the format that best meets their needs and have a voice in the evolution of this widely adopted standard. The input from technical experts, customers and governments around the world has greatly improved the Open XML specification and will make it even more useful to developers and customers. Once it is formally approved, we are committed to supporting this specification in our products, and we will continue to work with standards bodies, governments and the industry to promote greater interoperability and innovation."

In a way, it was inevitable. The weight of Microsoft's dominance in the Office Suite market would eventually make OOXML a de facto standard anyway. But the way to that standardization is a lot easier for Microsoft now.