Bonum Certa Men Certa

Norway Changes OOXML Vote, Receives New Microsoft Search Base (Updatedx2)

In a couple of previous posts, we already mentioned Microsoft's attempt to take over ODF [1, 2] and Glyn Moody has just weighed in on this too.

Why would Microsoft acknowledge ODF's victory? Given an insanely combative nature that for the last 30 years has seen the company fight on and on and on – often past the point of rationality - why on earth would Microsoft meekly concede that “ODF has clearly won?” Could it be because it plans is to *co-opt* that victory by taking over ODF itself through the ISO committee it effectively runs?


That was predictable, assuming it turns out to be true.

As ISO's reputation continues to decline [1, 2] due to corruption, Norway's nation standards body is imploding, but there may be more to the story there. This is all very speculative, but a reader has just sent us aheadsup on this news article, adding: "kinda makes me wonder why Norway voted pro-OOXML."

Microsoft to build new search base in Norway



Software giant Microsoft said Tuesday it would establish its base for enterprise search technology in Norway, with a main office in Oslo plus offices in Trondheim and Tromsø.


Isn't Microsoft supposed to be cutting down on expenditures?

Remember the story from Norway and how this decision ascended all the way up to the very top. Also Recall that post about 'soft bribery' and remember how Microsoft used top-level politicians for OOXML, including heads of nations in Mexico and France.

3 days ago in Groklaw, at the sight of an article bearing the headline "Microsoft to open research centers in Europe," PJ picked out the sentence: "Steven Ballmer, the Microsoft chief executive, said at a news conference here that the three “centers of excellence,” to be based near Paris, in London and in Munich, would employ several hundred people all together." She then added: "France, Germany and UK. I can’t shake the nagging memory that these three helped out with their OOXML votes." This happens to come just months after Microsoft offered freebies to other countries which changed their votes in favour of OOXML. No good reasons were given at the time.

Microsoft has just launched a program called OnMyWay, by which Microsoft will offer training and financial help to young people. It has begun dispensing help in Europe already, but more largesse is to come. If you look at the How We Help page, it says "Microsoft may provide help in the form of finance, educational materials or equipment." I'm told the ads are seen in four countries so far, Germany, France, the UK, and Australia.

[...]

The Czech Republic, the UK, Germany, Denmark, Finland and Norway all voted to approve OOXML.

This was a change for each of them. In September, the Czech Republic, the UK, Denmark, and Norway had voted to disapprove, so this was a change in Microsoft's favor. Finland abstained in September, and it voted to approve in March as well.


More details and a related discussion can be found here. We have some more supportive evidence shall readers require it.

Protest against OOXML



Update: Groklaw has just mentioned this as well, stating: "Funny how countries that buckled under in the OOXML vote keep popping up with new Microsoft investment. By the way, you don't want to miss the photograph of Ballmer."

Update #2 (07/10/2008): Some Mac/Apple fan sites are suggesting that there might also be a connection to this: Norway Presses Apple To Open Up iTunes.

Recent Techrights' Posts

It's FOSS? No, It's SPAM.
Another sellout
Techrights is Officially an Adult
this site's eighteenth anniversary
Technology: rights or responsibilities? - Part IX
By Dr. Andy Farnell
 
Links 05/12/2024: Mass Layoffs at Microsoft's PR (Bribery of Media) Agency, UnitedHealthcare CEO Shot Dead
Links for the day
GNU/Linux news for the past day
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Wednesday, December 04, 2024
IRC logs for Wednesday, December 04, 2024
Links 05/12/2024: Formaldehyde and Cancer, US and China Boycotting One Another
Links for the day
Gemini Links 05/12/2024: Hermeticism, Living in the Shell, and More
Links for the day
At the OSI, Microsoft Operative (Funded by Microsoft) Promotes Proprietary Software of Microsoft
The OSI is deeply corrupt. The good news is, it's barely hiding it anymore.
Links 04/12/2024: Social Control Media Thoughts, Enrons of 2024, and More
Links for the day
Gemini Links 04/12/2024: Soviet Esotericism, Mikrotik is Awesome, and More
Links for the day
Many Geeks' Achilles Heel: They Don't Take Computer Breaks
Life can get longer if you stay healthy
[Meme] Silicon Valley's "Successful Businessmen"
Debt is not a currency
Visualising About 0.7 Trillion Dollars of Debt in Supposedly "Successful" Tech Companies
If they're doing so well, how come they borrow so much money (which some would struggle to pay back or never manage to pay back)?
Single-Digit Microsoft: Windows Finally Falls Below 10% in Angola
it's only a matter of time before Windows is down to 5%
Coming Up With Topics to Cover and Issues to Comment on
Socialising is a big part of it
In Asia, Microsoft's Bing Became Smaller Than Yandex and It Shrinks Every Month
How long before Microsoft pulls the plug on Bing?
[Meme] Far From What Was Originally Intended
Makes site about RMS; Deletes his own 'site'
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Tuesday, December 03, 2024
IRC logs for Tuesday, December 03, 2024
Illuminating Microsoft's Dirty Tactics
Criticising illegal things that Microsoft does can be classified as "Microsoft bashing" or "hatred"
Proof That Drew DeVault Vanished From Mastodon After the RMS Attack Site Was Linked to Him (and People Pointed Out DeVault's Fascination With Animated CP, Drawings of Naked Kids)
We assume he just wanted to vanish from Mastodon
Maybe Bill Gates is Getting Demented Like His Late Father (He Says Things That Are True But He's Not Supposed to Say in Public)
It happened in a podcast with Reid Hoffman
We've Clearly Struck a Nerve
Microsofters and Microsoft proxies have meanwhile lost their temper
The Userbase of GNU/Linux is Growing, Investments in the FSF Grow Too (in Spite of Microsofters Inciting and Slandering It)
The FSF's expenses are close to 2 million dollars a year
Links 03/12/2024: Pat Gelsinger's Firing Spun as 'Retirement', US Exports Land Mines
Links for the day
Links 03/12/2024: GrapheneOS, Raspberry Pi 4, and More
Links for the day
Links 03/12/2024: Googlebombing "Windows 12", Games Preservation, and Public Domain Game Jam
Links for the day
Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols (SJVN) 'Works' for Linux Foundation (LF) on SPAM Campaigns, Just Like Spamnil's TFiR (Swapnil Bhartiya)
How can he publish something like this under his name?
Microsoft's Debt Ratio is Awful
It owes almost 150% of what it can give
Microsoft Has Already Laid Off Tens of Thousands of Workers, "Headcount" is Misleading Spin From Microsoft-Funded Sites
Expect Microsoft to suck up to Trump, looking for more bailouts (those typically manifest themselves in the form of "defence" contracts)
South America: GNU/Linux Grew to 8.15% Venezuela, Steadily Over 3% Overall
holding steady above 3%
Clownflare (Cloudflare) Debt Grows, Losses Continue
debt of nearly $400,000 per employee
Gemini Links 03/12/2024: December Adventure and Social Justice Gone Wild
Links for the day
Microsoft Windows Falls to 12.5% in Cuba, Android Soaring
Windows isn't even doing too well on desktops/laptops
[Meme] GAGAM: Google, Apple, Gulag, Amazon, Microsoft, and the Rest
The Web has never been more dangerous and hostile
ChromeOS Isn't Freedom, But It's Killing Microsoft's Ability to Profit From Windows
ChromeOS has shot up to 22% in Sweden
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Monday, December 02, 2024
IRC logs for Monday, December 02, 2024
The L Word (Not Linux)
Championing Software Freedom is "dangerous"
Did IBM Layoffs Stop? Ask Dr. Krishna, The 'Genius' of IBM...
Trust AK to solve all the problems of IBM by creating bigger problems
It's Easy to Snyk in Marketing SPAM (and FUD) Into BetaNews
The latest marketing piece (disguised as information, not shameless self-promotion)
[Meme] Sportwashing vs Code of Censorship (CoC)
Expectation of censorship (censor for me... or else!)
GNU/Linux at 4% in Algeria
So it more than doubled since last year
With 4 Weeks to Go (Before the End of 2024) the FSF Has Already Raised Close to 100,000 Dollars
The FSF must be doing something right
"Linux on the Desktop" (Less Than a Third of Web-connected Computers Still a Desktop or Laptop)
It's like we're chasing a goal that's 2 or 3 decades in the past
[Meme] The Failure of Microsoft Rebranding Campaigns
market share down, costs soared, back to basics
2 Years Have Passed Since ChatGPT Vapourware and Bing Gained Nothing, Yandex is About to Overtake Microsoft in Search
A cause for concern at Microsoft?
GNU/Linux Rises to 4% in Ireland, ChromeOS Grows and Android Takes Windows' Lunch
Windows down to 22%
[Meme] Meanwhile at Intel (Where the CEO Got the Boot)
Well, if taxpayers pay to save Intel, then Intel should be publicly owned (by those taxpayers)