After our research and work, the following results have been reached in addition to the above mentioned issues [[project editor: which have been omitted here]]. Open XML addresses different requirements than ODF does. Since their purposes are the same but their targets are different, both ODF and Open may exist as two different standards. This is even a necessity. In the context of e-Government Works, the ODF by itself is not a solution for a large group of documents that are required to be converted. Although any loss of data is not expected in a direct way, the losses that may happen in formatting process may cause some data to be lost indirectly. Due to their design that makes interoperability possible in a flexible structure, Open XML and the other standards of similar kind, are thought to be necessary to provide full integrity of organisations in the e-Government Works of our country. For this reason, the direct contribution of our country to the development of Open XML and similar standards is considered to be important. Our participation to the voting process of ISO/IEC DIS 29500 is also evaluated to be a requirement. Due to Open XML related criticisms that have started to be discussed in a non-technical manner in time, as well as the discussions within the commercial and political framework; the support of our country to these standards is considerably important. In addition to the technical issues above, considering the following non-technical issues of: the faster development rate in Computer Technology in comparison with the other areas, in spite of almost the same rate of consensus achieved; the clues which have been observed that the assesments of ODF and Open XML which have already turned to be a political way of discussions rather than technical ways and the possibility of continuation of these assesments in a deepening war”; with the existence of ISO/IEC 26300, the expectations for ISO/IEC DIS 29500 to be a Standard, which make the parties closer than expected, prior to the long standing consensus expected to be realised in the years ahead; the conditions that the parties may move away from each other in case negative voting of OOXML for any reason the ISO/IEC DIS 29500 is evaluated as POSITIVE to be accepted as a Standard and a positive country vote is recommended.

Proposed Disposition of DIS 29500 Comment TR-0001 (Modified: 2008-01-07) We thank Turkey for its participation in the DIS 29500 Standardization process, and we appreciate very much Turkey’s vote of confidence in our efforts, and the marketplace relevance of our specification.