On 22 November 2011 15:30, Darrell Anderson <humanreadable@yahoo.com> wrote:
> Any evaluation should not be how these apps compare to MS
> Office, but are they palatable for most people for many
> tasks? Don't look for missing esoteric features. Forget
> about importing and exporting MS Office files. Focus on
> usability by typical users with common needs.
>
> I think everything you have said was just invalidated by
> this paragraph. What is a user with common needs? almost
> 100% of the time that involves MS compat one way or another.
> It is unrealistic to pretend that users won't need this.
> And what do we do when they say "oh no I can save my
> .docx file", do we just say "oh well most common
> users don't need that?". No.

Everything I said was invalidated? Oh Calvin, so melodramatic! :D

I do struggle with the concept of what is a typical or common user. I hesitated before using those terms but did so anyway. :)


I think we need to figure this out, it comes up quite a lot as a subject.
 
First, we are discussing TDE users. That fact distinguishes those users from other users because a TDE user is using a Linux based system and not Windows. Few users of Linux based systems are as naive as the majority of Windows users. :) That is, many Linux based users have a clue about computers.

Not necessarily, there are plenty of naive linux users, but still point taken.
 
Second, how much does a TDE user need or care about MS Office compatibility? I don't know the answer. I suspect many don't care. Primarily they are interested in using computers to satisfy their needs and wants, not some brain dead boss's. Thus, any office suite provided with TDE should satisfy the basic office needs of a TDE user and not an enterprise user.

I do think people care a lot about it! As a student I am required to submit my papers as a microsoft document. Mr Jones, who works in an office is required to turn in a excel sheet of business transaction, he needs MS compatibility. his wife Sue Jones, writes down her cooking recipes to email to her sister-in-law, she needs MS Compatibility. Bobby Jones, their loving son, has to submit power point projects and essays to his high school. He needs MS Compatibility.

Enterprise or not, you need MS Compat any time that you step out of the linux world, so unless the entire network of people around you are using ODT, then you'll need to use DOC.
 
Jeepers creepers, Calvin, just the other day you were screaming to use markup languages for documentation... :D

I will try and be more reserved. Take everything I say with a grain of salt. I do like you quite a lot Darrell, you are an asset to the team!
 
I don't want to completely ignore compatibility. I am only stressing that our selling point is personal usage, not enterprise usage. I don't know that enterprise support is sustainable for our small team size.

Already answered above. But I don't think KOffice updates are sustainable for our small size, I would rather opt for LOffice integration and leave KOffice for those who already use it.
 
Makes sense, which is why I recommended some serious evaluations before we get to any discussion point. How can any of us honestly discuss the future of app that none of us use? Even you admitted to not using the apps in any constructive manner. I admitted as much. That excludes both of us from deciding the future of KOffice. I already stated I am willing to help with such evaluations. I understand from a coder's perspective that you might be resistive to supporting a huge code base such as KOffice. Yet if the focus is personal (and perhaps small office usage), then the maintenance perspective changes.

Well said.

Calvin