/>> Well how well does GCJ work?  /
>
>GCJ is mostly complete expect for some AWT stuff.
>
>Actually, we have thrown out the idea of using the OpenOffice filters. 
>Right now, to implement MS filters for KOffice it comes down to:
>
>* wv2 (rewrite of wvware, not complete, only for MS Word)
>* POI HDF and HSSF for MS Word and MS Excel
>
>Any thoughts on using wv2 vs. POI?

Well if folks are willing to contribute then I'd go for POI.  Wv2 has been around a 
lot longer
and hasn't really gone IMO that far.  (but ....I've not looked real recently)

/>> * Andy uses Gnome ;-)/

> It would be great to see POI used for Gnome Office (Abiword and Gnumeric),
> as well as KOffice.
>One issue is that the Gnome office uses the GPL which is incompatible with 
>the Apache license.

That is Richard Stallman's belief.  IANAL but its not my belief.  So basically:
work on POI is APL and can be used in KOFFICE, we can't use KOFFICE in POI.  (which is 
fine)

/> I'm totally for this and I'll do everything in my power to help!  /

> Great!  The license issue has been brought as a reason why POI can't be 
> used with GPL Office suites.  It would be really great if we could sort 
> out these license issues so that POI was compatible with the GPL.  I was 
> thinking of e-mailing the general-jakarta list to ask for help with this, 
> and if I could get your approval for allowing POI to be used with the GPL, 
> that would be great, because you have much better connections to the 
> Jakarta project.

Well lets start off with this: We're not GPLing anything.  Next, there isn't IMHO
a problem, other than anyone working on POI will have to agree to release their code
under ASL.  Read this:

http://www.apache.org/foundation/licence-FAQ.html#GPL

> Also, I'd like to help with the HDF project, and I was wondering if I 
> would have to purchase Windows/Office?  I'm currently a happy Linux user, 
> and it would be great if I could just use a free Linux solution like 
> OpenOffice Word filters to hack the Word format, but somehow I have a 
> feeling that I might have to get Windows.

I use Linux with CrossOver Office.  Its $50.  I already had a version of MS Office 97.
Office runs on linux better than does OpenOffice!  (faster!) 

You should be able to pick up a legal copy of Office 97 pretty cheap I would imagine.  

In conclusion:

1. We're not switching our license, you're welcome to switch yours (why should we make 
our
software anti-commercial?)
2. We don't feel its incompatible, if you do, that is fine.
3. Any code going into POI must be ASL because of the "viral clause" of the GPL
4. I still think this would be really really cool.

-Andy

>Thanks,
>TJ




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