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List:       koffice
Subject:    Re: RE : Market
From:       Seth Kurtzberg <seth () cql ! com>
Date:       2002-10-18 23:50:37
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Laurence

I don't disagree with you.  I was only suggesting something temporary
until the feature you are asking about can be supported.  I'm not
working on that part of koffice (I'm working on database capabilities),
so I have no control over what is implemented, and when, for document
formats.

As for convincing people to switch from Microsoft products, this is
still a difficult thing to do, although not as difficult as it was a
year or two ago.  My experience has been that the user tries it, but
within short order they find something that works differently in Word
(for example) and they switch back because they either (1) don't know
that it can be done in the alternative program or (2) aren't willing to
learn new ways to do things.  I'm not saying that it can't be done, but
it is still very difficult.  I don't think that will be true for very
much longer.

To me the situation looks very much like the hardware situation in the
early 80's.  For a time, it was almost impossible to convince a user to
by a machine not made by IBM, even though the competitive machines had
better price/performance ratios.  At some point, enough "clone" machines
were sold so that software vendors started to support the more generic
machines.  Within two years, IBMs overpriced boxes were rejected by the
market.

I think a similar thing is going to happen in software.  If enough
people are using non-Microsoft products, then users will restrict
themselves to features available in both Microsoft and competitive
products.  The user interfaces will become more closely aligned, and
people will no longer think that Microsoft is the only option.

One last point:  Microsoft Office does not support PDF.  You need to buy
a separate (and expensive) package from Adobe, which "looks" to the
software as if it is a printer.  This is identical to what I proposed,
except for the extra step (instead of saving PDF directly I suggested
saving PS and converting to PDF).  The user really doesn't care how it
happens, as long as they can say "save as PDF".

On Fri, 2002-10-18 at 06:59, LLG wrote:
> Hi,
> 
> You may be right for someone whose has professional knowledge.
> Have you considered that why Microsoft Window & Office is so common?
> Because of easy.   Easy for those have poor IT knowledge  people.
>     They don't need learn anything then just use the tools only.
>     Remember that there are too many (60-80%) poor knowledge people.
>     So,if Koffice doesn't have built in PDF format environment, KOffice will loss
> too many of these type people.
> Then these type of people will dancing with Microsoft Ofiice because of common
> and easy to use without thing.
> For us, we have thinking mind.  We must think that how to market these type of
> people to change their mind and use KOffice.
> 
> Think that,
> If we develop some useful tools only for those professional people or small group
> people, is it correct.
> For some developer, the developemnt/programming is fun.  How to group the "fun"
> to win Microsoft Office.
> Remember that Apple is a good personal computer in 1978-84.  Why Apple fail in
> the Computer World
> Because of Apple only do the fun,not consider the market.  Apple developer is so
> happy but Apple lost the market.
> Apple give up the market. IBM, Microsoft & those IBM compatible company got the
> market.
> 
> Have you through that why Microsoft is too big now?    Because of the marketing
> stegary is so good.
> Easy to use (although have bug or down computer sometime).  People without give
> up Microsoft because of easy.
> So Microsoft successful.  I don't want you guy copy Microsoft but I want to
> mention how to win in the Market.   Just think.
> 
> I am one of people really want to see Koffice become more popular and let people
> to give up Microsoft Office.
> 
> Laurence
> 
> 
> 
> Seth Kurtzberg wrote:
> 
> > Laurence,
> >
> > It would be nice to have koffice support pdf.  In the meantime, there is a
> > workaround.
> >
> > Print the document to a postscript printer, but select "print to file", which
> > means you get a postscript file.  Then, use the ps2pdf utility to generate a
> > pdf file.  ps2pdf is included with most Linux distributions or you can
> > download it from the net.
> >
> > On Thursday 17 October 2002 10:29 am, Laurence wrote:
> > > Hi, dear everybody,
> > >
> > > I am one of Linux beginner in Hong Kong. Chinese man.
> > > I have one idea for Koffice's development team.
> > >
> > > Please consider it.
> > > Can we save our koffice document in pdf format and let all other
> > > platform to read it.
> > >
> > > It is so important that document format to be common such as Microsoft
> > > Office - .xls, .doc....Excel, Word & power point.
> > >
> > > If Koffice can produce some format such as PDF file to his/her client,
> > > then may be more people really want to use it.
> > > Such as business people can make documents in Kofice and save in PDF
> > >   format, send out to all his/her clients to read it without consider
> > > anything.  (distrib readable document is so important)
> > >
> > > It is so important that other platform user can read Koffice's document.
> > > As a result, more people may change his behaviour from Microsoft Ofiice
> > > to Koffice.
> > >
> > > Thing about that.
> > >
> > > I am one of people really want to see Koffice become more popular and
> > > let people to give up Microsoft.
> > >
> > > Bye
> > > Laurence
> > >
> > > ____________________________________
> > > koffice mailing list
> > > koffice@mail.kde.org
> > > To unsubscribe please visit:
> > > http://mail.kde.org/mailman/listinfo/koffice
> >
> > --
> > -----------------------------------
> > Seth Kurtzberg
> > M. I. S. Corp.
> > 1-480-661-1849
> 
> 
> ____________________________________
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-- 
Seth Kurtzberg
M. I. S. Corp
480-661-1849
Pager 888-605-9296, or 6059296@skytel.com


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