FOSS Debates, Part 2: Standard Deviations

"This is the second installment in a three-part series. Part 1 outlines the discussions that surround the evolution of the Linux kernel. Part 2 takes a look at the current state of opinions on the standardization process.

"When Microsoft More about Microsoft won its bid to make Office Open XML an international standard last year, it was a pivotal moment for many in the FOSS community and beyond.

"The process had been a highly contentious one, with protests from nations and corporations around the globe, and the International Organization for Standardization's (ISO's) final decision was met with considerable shock, disbelief and even outrage on the part of some.

"Cynicism on the topic persists to this day, and debates can still be heard on the question of whether the standardization process is fundamentally broken. At the heart of it all lies one central question: Have standards become nothing more than a way to achieve vendor lock-in, or does openness still stand a fighting chance?"

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