hi all
i tend to agree with much of what Chad says--ODF is not
going to change the computing world this year, or even next year. betting
against MS is generally a bad financial activity. but here are MY observations
(my background is in technical writing and game theory--so im no expert).
Chad, you would win more arguments if you were not so
angry. it doesnt matter what people ultimately think of you, but more and more
people are putting you in a killfile. yet you still roll out the barrells of
vitriol and resentment. just sit back and be the better man by agreeing to
disagree. less people have heard the reasons for your lack of support for ODF
than have simple dismissed you as a puerile and snitty person. whilst i agree
you have been jumped on, a smarter person would have tried to win converts
rather than spending effort on whining about not being treated fairly and being
viewed as an iconoclast.
you should also accedpt that the folks on this list are
hoping to do something unique in the annals of software development--to create a
product based on user experience and true end user requirements. i understand
that there are some people at MS who are working on filters for docs done in
ODF, by the way. anyways, its tough to argue that an almost universally
installed base is hard to crack by simply offering something better. if 'better'
ruled, we'd have all had betamax videos, better algorithms for mp3 compression,
and cinamon rolls would be as strictly regulated as tobacco products. but
here in the real world, that isnt the case. everyone here knows what an uphill
battle it is to get OOo the marketshare it deserves. its a huge, frustrating,
and painful battle. Chad, your arguments may be justifiable, and even dead on.
but the attitude conveyed in your writing shows a complete and utter lack of
empathy for your audience. you are perceived as weilding an attitude of
superiority and disdain for the people on this list who genuinely work hard at
bring OOo out of the cave. you dont play nice with others.
on the other side of this issue, why dont we stop falling
for Chad's claims of unfair treatment and attempts at 'telling the truth' and
dont let him get under your skin. engaging him keeps it going. Chad made his
point well. he had some good stuff to say, although his method was less than
optimal.
just my observations. as i said, im not an open source
expert, but i do appreciate its possibilities.
kip
From: Chad Smith [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sent: Friday, October 28, 2005 4:57 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: [social] The Petition for my Head
all I can say is wow
I don't support ODF - I don't see any point to support ODF - I think people should have an honest view of the competition, and for that, there's a petition to get me kicked out.
Not very "Open" behaviour if you ask me.
You know, Daniel has written that I don't contribute anything positive, and yet it was Daniel who asked me to help with a Windows installer for 1.1.3, and I helped him make it.
You know what, fine, get me kicked off. - I have 100 Gmail invites, and unlimited access to Hotmail, Yahoo, and untold others of email accounts - if I were truly a troll, do you think that would stop me?
You don't like what I have to say about Microsoft Office's formats being the defacto standard in the world today, that even if MSO and OOo ceased to exist, I could still open my files with any of a hundred programs. You don't like that I remind you that only OOo-clones and KOffice use ODF. You don't like that I defend any company's right to success.
Shutting me up won't change the truth.
You call be stupid, retarded, dogmatic, and anti-social. That won't change the message.
If I'm wrong, and unwilling to change my opinion, why argue with me? If I'm right, and unwilling to change my opinion - is that a bad thing? If you don't know and or don't care if I'm right or wrong - maybe you're the one who is dogmatic or retarded.
Ian said I'm disloyal because I don't step in line with the "Will of the Majority". I would remind Ian that there are a few hundred million more people who agree with me (like all the users of Microsoft) than there are of him.
I thought the best part about OpenOffice.org was the org - the fact that OpenOffice.org allowed to you be a part of something, to truly *own* the software, and to join in a community of people dedicated to making the best office suite possible. I guess that only applies if you agree to hate Microsoft, and agree with every word the majority says. Apparently, the majority is named Ian,Daniel, and Marco.
As has been repeated a lot in recent days.... Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.
Enjoy the corruption, Ian.
- Chad Smith
