Rumors of Microsoft blackmail in New Zealand?

Summary:

Some rumors are saying that Microsoft's representative has blackmailed the Government and the Standardisation body in New Zealand with something like "If you don't say Yes to OOXML, we will revise our license terms with the Government for all Microsoft products you use. There will be sanctions". We are looking for some people from New Zealand to investigate this.

Rumors of Microsoft blackmail in New Zealand?

zoobab 23 Jul 2007 10:06

This has happened during the OOXML meeting of the Technical Committee it seems, and we are looking for people in New Zealand to investigate this. Maybe starting to know who was at the meeting would be a good start. And ask them what has been said.

Re: Rumors of Microsoft blackmail in New Zealand?

Anonymous (58.28.158.x) 04 Sep 2007 07:01

This is a lame rumor. If Microsoft were to try anything of the sort, I suspect the New Zealand government offices would all be using OpenOffice within a matter of months.

Microsoft did solicit their fanboys at TechEd to rally in favor of OOXML, and also placed a newspaper ad trying to build public support (perhaps the first time this has ever been done in support of an ISO vote?). They even got the "Enterprise architecture manager" for a mid-sized organization (Kiwibank) to shill for them. But as Standards New Zealand decided to vote against OOXML this lobbying obviously didn't give them the desired results.

Re: Rumors of Microsoft blackmail in New Zealand?

Anonymous (80.197.127.x) 23 Jul 2007 11:40

Well…. If this has even the smallest amount of trouth in it, it should be clear to all what to expect if MS is favourized more by choosing a document format they control.
I would love it if there was some evidence, and the government had the guts to say : "We'll convert to open source anywhere we can"

Annoyed Dane

Re: Rumors of Microsoft blackmail in New Zealand?

Anonymous (212.81.217.x) 23 Jul 2007 12:40

Just the same that happened in Denmark with the intent from Microsoft to see Software Patents legalised in Europe (fortunately software and business methods are not patentable in Europe, though they keep trying):
http://wiki.ffii.org/Navision050215En

Re: Rumors of Microsoft blackmail in New Zealand?

Anonymous (202.169.209.x) 30 Aug 2007 09:06

According to this newspaper blog:
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=5&objectid=10460752
Standards New Zealand has voted "no" to OOXML.
Makes me proud to be a Kiwi!