From koffice  Thu Sep 28 03:27:04 2000
From: "Dean E. Weimer" <dweimer () ohiooffice ! com>
Date: Thu, 28 Sep 2000 03:27:04 +0000
To: koffice
Subject: Compatibility Issues
X-MARC-Message: https://marc.info/?l=koffice&m=97011156106021

Microsoft Office Compatibility
     Yeah, I know no one wants to here those words, but I am a network
administrator during the day, and I would very much like to implement
something other than Microsoft Office at work as well as at home.  I am
fairly new to the FreeBSD OS, and have been searching for a good application
to use with it.  I don't like StarOffice, it is too cluttered.  I haven't
Koffice yet, and probably wont any time soon, because I am beginning my last
semester of college next week.  However I was reading the FAQ section on
Koffice, and I saw that work is being done to implement a filter to import
MS Office Programs.  Which is great, but it was stated that an export filter
would probably never be developed.  I think that this would be a big
shortcoming, since MS Office is currently everywhere around me, I cannot
even suggest using something at work that is not compatible in both
directions.  I think that Microsoft's  biggest mistake was to do this
exactly this.  I feel that the best thing some one could do would be to
write a system that is completely compatible with all the other major
systems.  I am no programmer, but I know that this is not easy, and probably
not even possible, but should be done with at least the biggest.  I just
don't like to see the type of close mindedness that I saw reading those
FAQ's concerning this subject.
     Well if you are still reading this thanks for your time, and I hope I
didn't offend you.  Just wanted to give you a different perspective.  I
think that what you are all doing is very admirable, donating your time and
skills so that people have more choices, and at an affordable price.  If I
had any programming knowledge, I would gladly offer to work on this issue,
but unfortunately my knowledge is centered around bringing the programs to
the user.
     If anyone wants to give me any feedback you are welcome to reply to
this.  I consider both positive and negative feedback beneficial to my
future.

   Thanks,
     Dean Weimer
     e-mail: dweimer@ohiooffice.com