On 10/18/2010 8:27 AM, Graham Lauder wrote:
In fact the last 2% is not really the problem, the real problem is round-
tripping and unfortunately we don't control that. I'm pretty sure that most
realise that the 2% could be done, with sufficient developer time and at a
cost that far outweighs the benefit, but it would still be stymied by the
round tripping requirement. A solution to this would require a concerted
effort in collaboration with the MSO folks, but that's not going to happen any
time soon.
The Novell guys who produce the go-oo.org version have a nice "Technology
Sharing" deal with MS with a supposedly high focus on compatibility and even
theirs doesn't round trip.
Thanks for your thoughtful response. I don't think we need round-tripping
to achieve the goal. My point is that getting the world to convert to ODF
when the majority software is Office is not working. And the world is not
converting to OO when it cannot handle the majority format in use now.
However, if we break the problem down into two manageable pieces - one of
the oldest techniques in the software book - the problem becomes solvable:
1. If OO could handle the last issues with MS formats (which it gets
closer to with every release) then the main barrier would be removed, and
people would switch for all the usual advantages - cost and openness.
2. Once the majority of users use OO, it would be a much easier step to
move to ODF for all the usual reasons - long term access and openness.
I don't see the second step happening without the first step. If Oracle
can focus development resources on the first step, the second will follow.
I must admit to being in the "don't need it" camp.I have used OOo and it's SO
predecessor from 5.0 since about 1998 IIRC in all my businesses and I've had
no issues that couldn't be easily solved, although it's possible that all of
my customers were just reasonable people when I asked them to slightly change
the way they sent me documents. But then I wasn't trying to find problems
with the software I was looking for solutions.
I train people in corporates how to deal with the small niggles that these
sorts of issues cause in a mixed platform environment. In that we do the same
thing, find a solution. Often we find solutions that not only solve
incompatibility problems with MSO -OOo, but also MSO to other programmes.
Problems are always easy to cry about but solutions work better and are
actually much more satisfying.
Your experience is great, however it does not address the vast majority of
users. Slide 30 below is hard data on what most users want:
-
http://wiki.services.openoffice.org/w/images/1/11/Renaissance-status-2009-01-30_wiki.odp
The fourth comment by BKITU in the Fark thread below corresponds to the
response of most business and government users to OO in my experience.
- http://www.fark.com/cgi/comments.pl?IDLink=5691592
---------------------------------------------------------------------
To unsubscribe, e-mail: [email protected]
For additional commands, e-mail: [email protected]
