There are technical, legal and ethical reasons behind the global opposition to OOXML. Only some of the technical reasons are real showstoppers while the rest can be fixed by the ISO, given adequate time. Many developers question the need for developing a new standard when ODF already exists. Some say that a lengthy standard (over 6000 pages) like OOXML should not have been fast-tracked. Others complain that it lacks support for non-Latin and non-Western needs and contains errors in the computational functions. The lack of adequate documentation in some areas and the facility to include proprietary Microsoft binary codes for backward compatibility are the real issues. This prevents both competing proprietary software and free software developers from fully implementing the standard.

The software patents associated with the standard are the main legal reason for opposing OOXML. Software patents are incompatible with free software licences. Microsoft has tried to address this by publishing an Open Specifications Promise. However, the Software Freedom Law Centre has recently issued a white paper which concludes that “the OSP does not provide any assurance to” free software developers. Additionally in the past, Microsoft has threatened to hit developing countries with patent suits for their use of Linux and has referred to the free software community as “communists” and Linux as “cancer”. As a consequence, most free software developers take their promises with a pinch of salt.

Finally and most importantly, on the ethical front, anti-OOXML campaigners question Microsoft’s lobbying in the national and international electronic standards setting process. They say that there are several instances where Microsoft has stuffed the national committees with their business partners and also coaxed national boards to join as voting members or upgrade their voting status at the ISO. Interestingly, of the 12 new national boards that joined the ISO after the OOXML process started, 10 voted “Yes” in the September ballot. According to The Wall Street Journal, the European Commission, which has already fined Microsoft $2.57 billion for anti-competitive behaviour, is currently investigating these allegations of committee stuffing.

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