On 9/20/05, Randomthots <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
Exactly. It seems to me that these decisions should be based on more
pragmatic arguments. Particularly, What have users of office suites come
to expect? and What is do-able given the existing infrastructure and
resources?
The fact (opposed to the philosophy) is that OOo already *does* include
an
HTML editor - one that sucks. It needs to be fixed. Whether that fixing
comes by rewriting the exisiting code, tweaking the existing code, or
removing the exisitng code and adding a pre-existing outside source of
code,
like Nvu or something, is up for debate. But the question of whether or
not
an HTML editor should be included is moot. It should because it is.
And because it's expected by the end users in a corporate environment.
There is real productivity value in having these different components
that have the same look-and-feel, the same nomenclature, similar menu
layouts, etc. UI consistency makes learning to use the different
components much easier.
OpenOffice.org does not need to be a programming software suite with
editors
for Perl and Ruby and Python and CGI and C++ and all this other coding
stuff.
That's what emacs is for, which, by the way, those of you who need and
like it are welcome to it. It's a terrible general word processor, but a
damn fine tool for coding.
Exactly. +1 OOo is not a programming tool - it's an office suite. There is a
difference. HTML is less about programming (emacs) and more about creating
content. Blogger is an example of this. Thousands of people creating tons
and tons of web (HTML) content without ever coding a thing.
What OOo does need to add are things like a DTP program, a bitmap editor,
and include a "OOo-skinned" version of Firefox and Thunderbird (at least
as
an optional download) that is formatted (with extensions and/or plug-ins
for
both OOo and Ff/Tb) to work together directly - (so like an Email this
document button that opens Thunderbird, or a preview my webpage button
that
opens Firefox.)
+1
<snip>
Now, Chad, I'm on YOUR side.
I realize that, Rod. It's just I want to nip the philosophical debate about
the definition of the word "is" and all the flavors of meaning of an office
suite and the endless banter of "OOo is NOT an MS clone." vs "I know, but MS
does somethings right." vs "Who cares about MS, what should OOo be doing,
regardless of MS." (The later of which is my personal opinion, but that
doesn't really matter.)
But before we discuss the addition of entire components to the suite, my
vote would be for addressing some long-standing inadequacies to the
basic functioning.
+1 there, but I'd want to qualify that OOo's HTML component is one bug ol
bug that needs to be fixed.
Let me explain what I mean. I just got back from a conference of web
developers, and all but the very noobish ones said that they code all their
HTML and PHP by hand. They said the WYSIWYG stuff is for non-developers (and
I would hardily agree.) However, non-developers are making a huge impact on
what the internet is all about. The biggest and easiest example of that is
the Blogosphere. How many tens if not hundreds of thousands of people now
have a voice online without knowing what <p></p> does or means?
To stay current (read *AHEAD* of Microsoft) we need a functional, working,
easy-to-use, standards-compliant, WYSIWYG HTML editor. Not Nvu. Nvu breaks a
lot of code. Not Frontpage - good Lord, please nothing like Frontpage!
Something like Blogger.com <http://Blogger.com>. Something with a simple set
of about 10 - 15 buttons like Bold, Italics, Underline, Bullets, Listing,
Alignments (left, center, right, justify), Increase font, decrease font,
color, insert graphic, link, and spell check. Add in some basic tabling
abillity, and you're all set.
Just my $0.02 worth (BTW, when did the "cent" symbol disappear from
keyboards? Where did it used to be?)
I've wondered that myself. I don't know where it used to be, but I wish I
had it. It may have been were the @ is now. And, of course, the @ is more
important. But we could get rid of the useless ones like ` and ~ . Some day
soon (and it's already started happening) you'll be able to make up your own
keyboard layout.
-Chad Smith
