This document contains a whole slew of objections on the Commonwealth of Massaschuetts turn around on allowing the flawed ooxml as a state document standard as well. The pace is increasing around the world to block the adoption of this broken format and the latest is an online petition in Singapore.

The MS astroturfing of NSBs (National Standards Bodies) with form letters that they got their business partners to send is increasing. For the record, here’s a copy of the template:

 
Subject: Support for approval of ISO/IEC DIS 29500 – Information Technology – Office Open XML
              File Formats

Dear [National Standard Body Contact],

We are writing to voice our strong support for the approval of Ecma’s Office Open XML File
Formats as an ISO/IEC International Standard.  We strongly urge the [National Standard Body]
to communicate its support for the ISO/IEC ratification of this standard to the JTC1 Secretariat.

Open XML represents an important advance in document standards that offers benefits to
technology users, the technology industry, consumers, businesses and governments worldwide.
The standard received a strong endorsement when it was approved by Ecma in December
2006 and submitted to JTC1 for fast-track approval.

Open XML will enable backward compatibility with billions of archived documents, and the
extensive standard accommodates a wide range of languages and cultures, as well as
assistive technologies that help people with disabilities.  Governments and businesses will
both benefit from the standard itself, as well as from the range of new products that
implement the standard.  Furthermore, Open XML in no way contradicts any other international
document standard.

Thank you for your support for Open XML.  If you have any questions, please contact [MS
business partner contact].

Sincerely,

[MS Business Partner Contact]