On Fri, 2005-12-02 at 09:58 -0600, Randomthots wrote:

> If I'm not actively concerned about cross-platform and/or 
> cross-application compatibility, then XML is mostly meaningless to me.

But anyone an use that argument about any feature of MSO 2003. I don't
need it so its no improvement over OOo. This was your basic argument.
OOo was no improvement over MSO XXX - I just gave you a couple of
examples of why it is. 

> What concerns me is the attitude that certain features of upper-tier 
> software shouldn't even be on the radar for the future.

I think making the code more efficient would be a better use of
resources than re-inventing E-mail clients.

> >>So what's the strategy? Is there one?
> > 
> > 
> > That is a good question, and it would have been a better focus to start
> > with. My personal preference would be to make the code more efficient,
> > and capable of running on PDAs etc. before starting on major projects
> > like an E-mail client that others are already working on. Better to
> > contribute to those projects if you think they are the key.
> > 
> 
> Not if they aren't going in the right direction.
> 
> Let me give you an example of what I mean: Gnucash. Gnucash is 
> supposedly the leading personal finance software for Linux.
> 
> I despise that program, and I'm not real crazy about the developer team, 
> either. Why? The program is advertised as being targeted to Windows 
> refugees needing a replacement for Quicken or MSMoney. But the interface 
> is something only an accountant could love and totally foreign to anyone 
> familiar with those other programs. There's zero interest in making a 
> Windows port. Important features are broken or non-existent. So maybe 
> it's not really meant for personal use; perhaps it's more intended for 
> business? Not really; important features for that market are also missing.
> 
> And it's not just that the features are missing or don't work right now; 
> what's worse is that they have no intention of adding or fixing them.
> 
> Compare that to KMyMoney. That program is shaping up very nicely. If 
> they only had a Windows port, it would be perfect.

Start a project then.

> Being cross-platform is incredibly important for open-source migration. 
> That's the beauty of OOo, Mozilla, Gimp, etc. If, over time, one-by-one, 
> you adopt these open-source apps on Windows, eventually you can get to 
> the point where you realize you don't really need Windows.

I got to that point 3 years ago - well actually I still use Windows
occasionally for some very specific things but I won't be buying any
more Windows software which is all that really matters.


>  I'm not at 
> that point yet; so I dual-boot to get the best of both worlds.
> 
-- 
Ian Lynch <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
ZMS Ltd


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