Academician Ni Guangnan: China should say no to Microsoft

Not long ago, a competition regarding the international standard of document formats quietly began.

Relevant Chinese organizations have developed an XML-based open document format named UOF that suits China's national conditions, and it has already become a national standard. As China's indigenous document standard, UOF is a key factor in breaking free from foreign control over technical standards. Meanwhile, Microsoft also attempted to use the international standards organization "fast-track voting" channel to make its OOXML standard an international standard. This move by Microsoft was strongly opposed by Chinese experts, represented by Academician Guangnan Ni, and Chinese software companies.

In July 2007, Guangnan Ni wrote an article calling on the Chinese government to cast a veto vote against Microsoft's OOXML. He referred to this move by Microsoft as...