Re: OOXML [was Re: GNOME Foundation Board Meeting Minutes :: 7/6/07]

[Richard Stallman <rms gnu org>]

    > OOXML will be a de facto standard entirely due to Microsoft's dominant
    > position in the computing industry... the fight is about preventing it to be
    > a formal standard.

    I remain open to being convinced (1) that that distinction matters and
    (2) that anyone actually thinks GNOME's presence one way or the other
    (especially if messaged correctly) actually has an impact on it
    becoming a formal standard.

If supporters of OOXML are citing GNOME's apparent support, they must
think that will help them.

If they are right, denying such support in a clear enough way that
they cannot pretend it exists will hamper them.
If they are wrong, this statement won't make any difference; but it
won't cost us anything but a little work.

It would be a mistake to take for granted they are wrong.
They know their audience, and they are not fools.

So let's deny them this line of argument.
Even a small chance of success justifies such an easy action.