On 5/20/05, [EMAIL PROTECTED] <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > You seem to not have understood my point. > > MS users _have_ to upgrade their applications because the next version > document format is not documented.
No they *don't*. I use MS 98 (for Mac) at work just fine. It works with MSO 2001, MSO X, MSO 2004 (all for Mac) files, and MSO 97, MSO XP, MSO 2003 (for Windows) files just fine. That office system is, what, at least 7 years old, and has at least 5 new versions since then, and it can work with all the files from all the other MSO's just fine. It can't do HTML worth a darn, but the MSO files from all the other versions I've come into contact with have opened and saved without a hitch. Although, in efforts of full disclosure, I haven't come into contact with anything from MSO X for Mac - all the others I mentioned, I have. > OOo users don't have to. I think the switch from .sxw to .oox to .odx or whatever it is now is far more complex for the end user than from .doc (MSO 97) to .doc (MSO 2004) to .doc (MSO XP) to .doc (MSO 2001). I mean, you may think (and since it's properitary and secret, you don't know - you can only assume) you may *think* that they change the format, but the end user doesn't see a difference. When an end user comes across an OpenDocument word processing file from OOo 2.0, and he has OOo 1.1.4 - he won't be able to open it. To use that file, he will *HAVE TO* up grade. When a MSO 97 or 98 user comes across a MS Word 2004 file, a .doc, he double clicks on it, and it opens without a hitch. He does not *HAVE TO* upgrade. > Similarly, sx*/od* formated files users don't have to use OOo to use > the files since the format is documented XML, there can be tools that > directly access and process the data (I use one for work). There *can be* tools? So, you mean that the end user would have to download a plug-in or a third party tool of some kind? One that may or may not exist? Either that or upgrade to OOo 2.0, right? Sounds like a forced upgrade to me... MSO users from 97 on up can interact with MSO user from 97 on up backwards and forwards without any add-ons or special tools.... > > This is not possible with MS Office files. Absolutely untrue. I use MSO files from all versions all the time on MSO programs from all versions (all of those mentioned above except MSO X). Now, if you mean it is not possible to interact with MSO files in a text editor - that's also false. I've recovered text from an MSO file before. The file wasn't corrupted - it was text that the user deleted and saved, but shouldn't have. > So "migration" within the XML family and within the MS Office family > have totally different meanings. Yes, you are right, it's easier with MSO and not a forced upgrade. > The real issue here is not about "learning" how to use a new interface. > It is about having or not reliable access to data. > > In OOo, you have, even if you move to OD files, in MS you don't. well, yes if you use OD files, you don't have access to them in MSO - you are right. But so far, there isn't a single Office System or Word Processor *on earth* that isn't in BETA that uses that format. And whenever OOo 2.0 gets out of BETA, it will be the only one (well, it and StarOffice 8 obviously). In MSO, you have access to your data in MSO 97 - current, even back to MSO 95 and MS Word 3.0 and up with the special tools and add-ons, similar to the hypothetical ones you discussed for OOo.... -Chad Smith --------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] For additional commands, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
