Document Foundation revisits Microsoft’s OOXML standards battle

The Document Foundation, which develops LibreOffice, has published a retrospective on the OOXML standard’s history, covering 2006 to 2008 when Microsoft sought international standard status for OOXML. The foundation alleges that Microsoft used a fast-track route and national standards committees to push the format through ISO, and notes that OOXML eventually became ISO/IEC 29500, though the fairness of the process remains disputed. The piece contrasts this with the Open Document Format (ODF), which was promoted by OASIS and became ISO/IEC 26300 in 2006.

Two formats entered the standards race: ODF via OASIS and ISO/IEC 26300, and OOXML via Microsoft, which was published as ECMA-376 in 2006 and subsequently advanced to ISO/IEC JTC 1 through a fast track. The OOXML specification reportedly ran to about 6,000 pages, and the foundation argues that the length and time constraints made thorough review difficult, citing a February 2008 Geneva ballot resolution meeting where delegates worked through national comments.

The foundation highlights shifts in national committee membership—notably Italy’s growth from five to over 80 members—and claims involvement by Microsoft partners and related firms. Microsoft’s position at the time asserted broad support for OOXML and the value of technical comments, while IBM was cited by opponents. After the 2008 vote, ISO/IEC formally published the 29500 series.

The foundation’s central charge is that doubts about procedure coexist with eventual approval, framing the result as evidence of manipulation, and it warns that OOXML’s Transitional flavour may entrench vendor lock-in and hinder cross-application compatibility.