Rod, As usual, I completely agree with you. I think the ideal open source cross platform office suite (or office system, or business productivity pack, or whatever the current buzz word is) would be made up of a completely seemless mix of OOo-Firefox-Thunderbird-Nvu-Sunbird(the Mozilla calendar)-GAIM(or Miranda)-GIMP-and a bunch of other things.... I eminately prefer TheOpenCD to OpenOffice.org (although the CD is Windows only, which more and more is becoming annoying, especially since I've got Tiger now and there's no turning back).
I would go further than what you suggest, Rod, and say that EasyOffice ( http://www.e-press.com/ ) has the right idea. They throw everything at you, including a full version of OpenOffice.org *ON TOP* of their full-featured office suite. Now, for the more FSF inclined amoung us - I'd give the example of a Linux distro. One CD, (or set of CDs or DVD[s]) with every program you could ever hope to use in your life included. That's a good idea. One of the huge arguements that I've had on this list and others (since it started long before there was a "social" list) was my disagreement with whatever courtcase that limited Microsoft's ability to bundle. I think Windows would be a freak-load more valuable if it came with every MS program ever made on the CD (or whatever media would hold it). Even if it was just the current versions (which would make the most sense, of course). If I could get one DVD with MS Windows XP Pro - MS Office 2003 Pro - MS Works Suite - Age of Empires - etc.etc.etc. - then that would be a valuable thing. MUCH more than just MS Windows. My point is - to have a happy medium between providing an office suite and providing an operating system - I would include OOo *and* Mozilla Suite - and probably at least GIMP. Those 3 cross-platform open source titles would make the best offering against MSO. If we had a united GUI and interoperoliblity (where they could all open each others files - however you spell/say that) - and a single name, that would be friggin' awesome.... That's what I tried to provide about a year ago when I was selling Open Office Pro 2004. (which only lasted a week) I didn't know how to do any of the coding, so I just threw them all on a CD. The Open CD did a much better job than me, so I started pointing people to them. That's why I loudly applaud efforts like MozOO.org and OOoFf! and TheOpenCD and GnuWin and the like. They provide a one-stop-shop solution to people who just want to do what a computer is supposed to do. And the more stuff you can throw into that mix - the better. Bring on the *bloatware* rants. I won't be responding to them. I believe the example of the Linux distros is all the fire-proofing materials I need. Plus - with everything that I know of *except* OpenOffice.org - you can pick what you want to install and/or download - so the bloat stays on the server/CD.... -Chad Smith On 5/25/05, Rod Engelsman <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > I would like to start a friendly philosophical disussion. Today our > friend Daniel Carrera posted a reply to an OP on the discuss list: > > > > When is openoffice going to have a calendar function, similar to that in > > Outlook. [?] > > > Daniel: "A calendar function does not belong in an office suite. Despite > what Microsoft might want you to believe, calendars, PIM, email etc are > communication tools, not document creation tools. If you need a > calendar, PIM, email, etc, I hope you will consider using Mozilla > Thunderbird." > > Now I'm not going to advocate that OOo should include a > calendar/PIM/email client, but I believe the relevant issue is limited > resources rather than what belongs in an office suite. I'm particularly > struck at the artificiality of Daniel's distinction between "document > creation" and "communication" tools. > > In the first place, what's the purpose of a document if not > communication? That to me makes it a type of communication tool. > > On the other hand, isn't a calendar a kind of document? Is it only a > document if I print it out? If that's the criteria, then how do you > justify calling a presentation a document -- which is primarily meant to > be viewed on a computer monitor and may contain dynamic elements? > > And if I register my Mozilla address book as a data source in OOo does > it then magically transform from a "communication" tool into a "document > creation" tool? Is a list of addresses in a spreadsheet a document > creation tool but the Mozilla address book not? > > Isn't a web page a document as well? I have used many web pages as > documentary sources for papers I've written. A usenet posting is > considered a valid documentary source as well. > > Finally, what is the essential difference between an e-mail and a letter > that is printed and mailed the slow way? Other than the speed of delivery? > > Look... I'm no fan of Microsoft the corporation. But I believe their > idea of an "Office Suite" is right on the money: A set of common > software tools that almost any office needs for daily operation. Word > processor, spreadsheet, presentation software, web authoring tool, > e-mail client, PIM, and database. Probably 90% of offices need every one > of those, and likewise those tools probably cover all or most of the > needs of 90% of offices. > > Now you can accomplish all that with open-source tools, but > unfortunately not with a set of tools that have a consistent look and > feel like you get with MSO. And that LnF is more than just cosmetic; it > has real productivity implications when have a certain amount of > consistency in the UI. If you're familiar with Word, it doesn't take as > long to get up to speed with Powerpoint or Frontpage because of that > consistency. It's exactly like the consistent use of the Stylist in OOo. > You know where to look to do what you want. > > So perhaps what's needed first of all, is for someone who knows how to > do it, to design an OpenOffice.org them for the Mozilla suite. Perhaps > create a superficial fork of Moz that looks and feels like OOo... maybe > move some things around in the menu tree to match up better. > > Comments? > > Rod > -- -Chad Smith *G-Mail ROCKS
