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List:       koffice
Subject:    Re: KOffice and StarOffice
From:       Werner Trobin <wtrobin () mandrakesoft ! com>
Date:       2000-07-21 19:27:50
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Simon Hausmann wrote:
> 
> Speaking only for myself:
> I do not believe that the source code release of StarOffice will affect
> koffice that much, from a developers point of view (leaving out the filter
> issue :) . I think in somehow StarOffice and KOffice are very
> different: I believe the reason why Torben started KOffice was one main
> thing: Fun. A way to experiment and learn how a complex system of an
> office suite can be developed. I believe that today most (if not
> all) KOffice developers are hacking because it is fun, and because they
> can see that they _do_ something, something that others recognize. If I
> was a new developer ;) and would have the choice between an open
> developed Staroffice and KOffice, then I would go for KOffice, for a
> simple reason (leaving aside the technical aspect) : In StarOffice I would
> be only a single plain volunteer between hundreds of payed Sun
> developers. That's not attractive for me (personally) . And in addition I
> could probably not be as creative as in a project like KOffice, since
> StarOffice is in fact controlled and managed by Sun, a company. While one
> of the strengths of KOffice (and KDE as a whole) is that it is entirely
> controlled and managed by volunteers all over the world. No single company
> controls KOffice and KDE. That's something very important for me,
> personally. That is why in my humble opinion KOffice is far more
> attractive for volunteering developers (and there are lots of them
> :-) than a GPL'ed StarOffice.
> 
> Regarding interoperation between KOffice and StarOffice: We will all have
> to see the StarOFfice API first, before being able to think about this.
> (IMHO) . I for one am not interested in spending my free time with writing
> wrappers and implementing StarOffice interfaces in order to let KOffice
> components "talk" to StarOffice components. I would in fact be writing
> code for Sun, which is not bad as is, but which leaves me back with
> nothing (especially as, according to the FAQ, Sun asks volunteers to
> transfer the copyright (AFAIK. Please correct me if I'm wrong)) .
> 
> So I do enjoy spending my free time in the KDE/KOffice development
> community, because it is a lot of fun, because I can implement and realize
> my own ideas and because I can learn a lot! (about team work, the koffice
> framework, etc.etc.) . It could be that this is something the StarOffice
> development will not be able to provide, at least not now, at this point
> in time :-)
> 
> Only speaking for me personally.

<AOL>
/me too :)
</AOL>

Werner, who is lucky that someone wrote such a long, brilliant mail
and he only has to put a /me too at the end :)))


> 
> Bye,
>  Simon
> 
> On Fri, 21 Jul 2000, Evan Leibovitch wrote:
> 
> >
> > Hi there.
> >
> > I write a column for ZDNet on Linux issues, and this week I'm writing
> > about the GPLing of StarOffice.
> >
> > I would like to find out, from any of the KOffice team, what effect this
> > announcement (if any) has on KOffice. Are there any components of
> > StarOffice that you would like to intergate into KOffice in the short
> > term?
> >
> > Furthermore, does Sun's intention to build StarOffice components using
> > Bonobo rather than KParts affect its usability within KOffice? Does it at
> > all effect the balance between KDE and GNOME?
> >
> > Thanks!
> > Evan Leibovitch
> >
> >

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