Old dog, same old tricks

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.

----Email Begins----

From: Grant Thomas
To: [name]@microsoft.com
Subject: Your email re TTCS Position
Date: Fri, 14 Mar 2008 15:51:32 +1300

Dear

We have been forwarded your email of 12 March to [national computer society] relating to Matthew Holloway communications with the [national computer society].

Your email suggests that Matthew is “far from objective” that his goal “has always been to de-rail OOXML rather than making it a better specification” and that this “has clouded a lot of his thinking”.

Whilst you are entitled to your opinions, we do not share them. We are most concerned about your statement that “while his efforts have been appreciated by the Standards NZ people on the OOXML advisory group his attitude and disingenuous approach (especially with regard to reaching outside NZ to stir things up) have not gone down well”

Your statements imply that you are relaying the views of Standards New Zealand and we ask you rectify this misrepresentation immediately. We have found Matthew to be an extremely valuable member of our advisory group and believe that he has acted with integrity as an advisory group member.

We have asked all our advisory group members to ensure that if they are expressing any personal views on the OOXML issue, that they make it absolutely clear that they are personal views, and do not represent Standards NZ or our Advisory group. We believe Matthew has made every effort to comply with this request.

Regards

Grant Thomas
Chief Operating Officer
Standards New Zealand

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