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A Microsoft Slur in the OOXML Saga -- Did I Tell You or Did I Tell You? - Updated

By Pamela Jones et al.

Remember I told you I've noticed that people who don't support Microsoft's agenda end up the victim of smear campaigns?

The New Zealand Open Source Society is reporting that an employee at Microsoft New Zealand recently sent an email to one of the technical bodies advising an NB involved in the OOXML ISO process, smearing a man's reputation, Matthew Holloway, apparently to undermine his technical input which was critical of OOXML. Standards New Zealand was took the claims so seriously that they responded to parties who received this email. The New Zealand Open Source Society has all the gruesome details, and the reason I'm highlighting it here, aside from wanting to help undo a wrong, is because NZOSS request that if the slur, or others like it, has spread to other NBs or advisory bodies that you please direct them to the defense of Mr. Holloway's good name and reputation by Standards New Zealand on that page. Here's the request:

We have discovered that Matthew Holloway was badly slurred by a Microsoft employee in an email to one of the bodies advising an overseas standards NB. It is worth noting that our own national body, Standards New Zealand (SNZ), took the claims so seriously that they responded to parties who received this email.

We discovered the slur by chance; similar information may be circulating in other countries. If you are aware of this please point concerned parties to this article. SNZ have given us permission to quote this email. I have removed names to protect the guilty parties.

Sad. Why can't Microsoft just compete fairly, with decency?

Full post as published by Groklaw on March 18, 2008 (boomark / email).