03.01.08
Gemini version available ♊︎Microsoft’s “Letters from the Dead” Tactic Isn’t Quite Dead Yet
For those who are unaware, Microsoft was caught faking support letters (by proxy) several years ago. It used the names of deceased people. Later on, as we last mentioned just 5 days ago, Microsoft seemed to have used similar tactics to overwhelm ISO and put OOXML on the Fast Track.
Microsoft never changed its ways. Perhaps it tried harder to hide its fingerprints, but the same dirty tactics live on to this date. Similar incidents were spotted in England about a year ago (we documented some of them). Then, we even saw briberies in Sweden and similar suspicions were raised in other nations, such as Malaysia.
Another incident has just been identified in India. This Web site has the details.
The extent to which Microsoft can go in its efforts to get OOXML is interesting. Microsoft has “persuaded” several non-profit organizations to bombard the Indian IT Secretary and the Additional Director General of the Bureau of Indian Standards with letters supporting its OOXML proposal. A copy of the form letter they have been circulating to NGOs is given below. Somebody should interview these NGOs to see how much they really know about OOXML and open standards.
The sequence of events leading up to the spamming of GoI is:
Letter from an NGO thanking Microsoft (name changed to protect their identity)
[...]
Do have a look at what appears like a pattern. India is by no means the exception here. This was systematic. █
“You know what Microsoft’s problem really is? They’ve lost the ability to feel ashamed.”
–PJ, Groklaw
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CoolGuy said,
March 1, 2008 at 1:25 am
India rejected OOXML and PWNED MICROSOFT.
YAAA INDIA !!!
Roy Schestowitz said,
March 1, 2008 at 1:41 am
If I recall correctly, all 3 of the world’s largest populations reject OOXML. It’s only the small nations which Microsoft could buy (bribe?) that decided to join at the last minute and vote “Yes”, without ever reviewing the specs.
See http://www.effi.org/blog/kai-2007-09-05.en.html