[CedarDave]

...in the course of trying to force OOXML through the ISO fast-track process, it has finally gone further and attacked the system itself; in the process it has destroyed the credibility of the ISO, with serious knock-on consequences for the whole concept of open standards.

Would you be kind enough to translate that for us who use MS Windows XP, MS Office applications and who surf the web using an MS browser?

[ShadowAce]

There are standards for every web-oriented technology. MS is trying to get their version of XML (eXtended Markup Language), called OOXML, adopted by the world's standards body as the de facto standard to publish web sites.

In attempting this, MS is playing the bully against several countries, organizations, and people in forcing this through. They are accomplishing this by stacking the committees, extorting the players, and generally behaving badly.