It’s mostly official, ISO approves OOXML

Hardly news at this point. IP Watch has the story and a link to the ISO’s press release (PDF).

Nevertheless, the NY Times coverage is noteworthy if only because it takes such an uninterested, bland stance on such a live controversy. The article, by Kevin J. O’Brien, conveniently overlooks the “irregularities” of the vote and the composition of the voting committees in favor of a Fox-esque “fair and balanced” critique of the lobbying done by all involved:

The tally reversed a loss by Microsoft in first-round voting before an 87-nation panel in September, a process that involved blunt lobbying by both sides toward members of national standards committees — typically made up of technicians, engineers and bureaucrats.

No mention of the Norweigian controversy, no mention of Jomar Silva’s revelations, no mention of the wave of last-minute abstentions, and absolutely no concern as to whether or not Microsoft may have run roughshod over ISO member opinion in getting OOXML “fast-tracked”, broken multilateral treaties, or duplicated an (approved and transparent) standard like ODF in the process. Nope, none of that is important to the Times. That kind of hard-nosed analysis should win an award for mediocrity.