EU questions Microsoft on ISO file format vote

THE ROW over Microsoft’s attempts to have Office file format gain International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) approval rumbles on.

Although Microsoft lost the vote last September to make its file format an international standard, it is now being investigated over alleged attempts to stack national standards bodies with its resellers and allies in the run up to the ballot.

EU regulators are now examining whether Microsoft’s actions broke anti trust laws said the Wall St. Journal.

Microsoft has another chance to seek ISO approval in a meeting later this month. At the time of the vote Microsoft said rival IBM was mobilising its forces to vote against it. µ