Analysts: Analysts sell out - that’s their business model But they are very concerned that they never look like they are selling out, so that makes them very prickly to work with."

--Internal Microsoft document

It has already been mentioned quite recently that a person whom Microsoft paid in the past will go batting for Australia at the BRM in Geneva. The Australian press is confirming this now while ODF advocates are calling for Australian citizens to take action and stop this.

Last year [Rick] Jelliffe was implicated in editing OOXML Wikipedia entries at the request of Microsoft. A public explanation is available on Jelliffe's blog.

Here is my theory. Previously, Mr. 'Devil's Advocate' Jelliffe said "No" to OOXML at the last minute in order to gain credibility and steal this "Devil's Advocate" role, which is crucial. Watch the following quote from Microsoft:

"Consultants: These guys are your best bets as moderators. Get a well-known consultant on your side early, but don’t let him publish anything blatantly pro-Microsoft. Then, get him to propose himself to the conference organizers as a moderator, whenever a panel opportunity comes up.

--Internal Microsoft document

Do watch Microsoft's "Evangelism is War" exhibit. The full text is available too, as plain text. It's part of the classic tactic. Mind the bit about analysts and consultant needing to appear independent.

It's the playing-hard-to-get routine. It's like when a girl says "no" (e.g. to a man wooing her, or to OOXML) but what she actually means to say is "yes". It makes victory sweeter.

In other news, Document Freedom Day is approaching. [via Simon Phipps]

The Document Freedom Day (DFD) is a global day for Document Liberation with grassroots action for promotion of Free Document Formats and Open Standards in general. The DFD was initiated and is supported by a group of organisations and companies, including, but not limited to the Free Software Foundation Europe, ODF Alliance, OpenForum Europe, IBM, Red Hat and Sun Microsystems, Inc.

if you live in Australia, be sure to protest against this suspicious appointment might greatly affects OOXML adoption (other documented examples). The same goes for Denmark, England and Portugal (similar examples we are aware of alone).

Microsoft won't go down without a dirty trick (or two... or even hundreds). If we don't speak out, the system will continue to get corrupted. Don't let a convicted monopolist speak 'on behalf' of your entire nation in Geneva [1, 2, 3, 4, 5].

This is not a fight between Windows and GNU/Linux. It is not a fight between Sun and Microsoft, either. This is a fight involving justice and complete mockery of everything we have come to know as integrity. ⬆