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List:       koffice-devel
Subject:    Re: MSWord's strange linespacing
From:       Nicolas Goutte <nicog () snafu ! de>
Date:       2001-12-19 0:00:55
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On Tuesday 18 December 2001 22:31, Karl-Heinz Zimmer wrote:
> On Tuesday 18 December 2001 21:19, Nicolas Goutte wrote:
> > I have one question about this email that I feel offensive.
>
> Sorry for that, this was not my intention!
>
> > Is for you the developper of KWord's MSWrite import filter not
> > a KOffice developper?
>
> Developers of filters have my respect as much as developers of other
> parts of KOffice.  IMO it is important to listen to suggestions of
> filter developers as much as listening to all other members of the
> KOffice development team.
>

> My 'problem' with the mail I replied to (in an - I must admit this - not
> very polite tone) was this part: "different to everyone else's (MS)".
>
> I reacted a bit 'allergic' to this since the argument that MS is the
> standard is really driving me crazy.

The problem is that when you make an import filter for it, MS is your 
standard on one side, while on the other you have KOffice.

Sometimes, the gap between the foreign format and the KOffice's one is not 
easy at all, especially not if you are new and do not know very much about
KOffice's world.

>
> So sorry for my not very nice mail but still I insist in my words that
> KOffice should not be changed because of MS filter needs - at least such
> changes should not be done without very seriously considering the negative
> side effects such a change might have to the overall concept and internal
> structures of KWord or KOffice.
>
> For me MSWrite or MSWord is /not/ something to look at and thing about
> imitating it - for me MSOffice (and especially MSWord!) is pure bullshit
> - and yes, I do know what I am talking about.
>
> > If yes, then I can go away too. It is already bad that some changes in
> > KWord were done in the past without even warning developpers of filters.
> > But now, if we must hear that because we "only" do filters that we are
> > not KOffice developpers, then... good bye!
>

> I do not accept this good bye, instead I ask your pardon for having hurted
> your feelings: the fact that I sometimes overreact on somebodies arguments
> does _not_ mean that I do not respect them, but only that I write faster
> than I think about things.  ;-)

Do not worry, I am not away!

>
> Once I made the suggestion (I think it was on this list) to carefully
> listen to MSOffice filter developers _before_ and _while_ considering and
> fine-planning new KOffice features: for me this is a very important issue.
>

> But still I have a big problem with statements like this: "Some (other)
>  MSWord/MS-whatever user will probably soon notice and complain if this
>  isn't changed..."

Yes, and it will probably be true too. We will surely get an email on the 
koffice mailing list or even a bug report about it, because a MS Write user 
wants that it looks the same!

And I find it good that the problem was discussed and rejected with technical 
arguments, not just because of a subjective value.

>
> I am having a problem with the idea of _changing_ something as good as
> KOffice to meet filter needs: changing something that _is_ implemented
> is far worse that taking filter arguments into account _before_ planning
> and realizing new features - the later should be done on a regular basis!

Here I disagree with you.

For better interchange, KWord could have for example:
- ignored word list (AbiWord)
- document language (MS Word, AbiWord?, HTML)
- paragraph language (MS Word, AbiWord, HTML)
- sections (MS Word, AbiWord)
- columns (MS Word (with sections), AbiWord, HTML with draft CSS3)
- forced line breaks (MS Word, AbiWord, HTML)
- forced column breaks (MS Word, AbiWord)

Note: with columns, I mean something more flexible than columns in today's 
KWord.

>
> > Have a nice day/evening/night!
>
> You to, but do not dream about bad, ignorant people who do not appreciate
> the hard working filter developers: I _do_ know how difficult it is to
> develop a good filter and I _do_ respect everybody spending time on this!

Thank you!

>
> Cheers,
>
> Karl-Heinz
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