…and bribed the represenatives of the “new” IETF members as well as their governments to vote for Microsoft’s standard. The latter was, of course, a matter strictly between “business partners” and probably barred behind NDAs, so “legal” as long as nobody would blow the wistle.
Comment on LibreOffice criticizes EU Commission over proprietary XLSX formats
MisterD@lemmy.ca 1 day agoFYI: it wasn’t a bribe. It was a temporary takeover of the standards body. They paid for memberships of a bunch of new people on the board for the critical vote.
b_tr3e@feddit.org 20 hours ago
floquant@lemmy.dbzer0.com 20 hours ago
So, a bribe with the proper bureaucratic steps?
Jeffool@lemmy.world 20 hours ago
I think saying that they “bribed the standards body” suggests the body was in on it. The actual allegation (I don’t know any facts, just these comments) seems to be that the body was subverted by other countries that were bribed by Microsoft. Being someone who doesn’t know the details there’s a worthwhile distinction there. Though that still opens questions about the board’s reaction, and I might read up on it all later.
b_tr3e@feddit.org 19 hours ago
Let me assure you that the original board that was voting for Open Office’s proposal was absolutely pissed off, short of dissolving but eventually unable to revert the decision because of it’s formal correctness.