Yesterday, September 2, was the ending date for countries to vote on ISO approval of Microsoft’s proposed OOXML open document standard. But the controversy surrounding this process is almost certain to continue, regardless of how the vote comes out. (See Computer World article.)

As I see it, ISO approval of OOXML would just about guarantee that Microsoft will ignore the existing ISO approved ODF open document standard, and instead devote its immense resources to supporting its own OOXML open document standard. Microsoft is on record with its Open Specification Promise, saying that anyone will be able to use the proprietary elements of the OOXML standard without royalty to Microsoft. But even if that promise is sincerely honored, it seems certain that the OOXML standard will be more difficult to work with than the ODF standard, and especially so for non-Microsoft developers.

Update: Websites are beginning to tally up the votes. See this website.

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