Subject: Re: Are you working with the StarOffice/OpenOffice ppl on file format?
From: sam th (sam@uchicago.edu)
Date: Thu Aug 03 2000 - 12:32:47 CDT
On Fri, 4 Aug 2000, Martin Sevior wrote:
>
>
> On Thu, 3 Aug 2000, Jeff Schmidt wrote:
>
> > Hello,
> > I was looking at the Abiword website, and noticed you are using XML
> > for you file format. I think this is excellent, as I really believe the
> > future of wordprocessor/spreadsheet/etc file formats should be xml based
> > for portability and compatability. I was also looking at the openoffice
> > website the other day, and see that one of their goals is to create a
> > standardized XML DTD for wordprocessor files (as well as other file
> > formats). Will you be working with them to develop this standard and
> > implement it in Abiword?
> >
>
> We've heard from their lead MS Word filter developer who wrote most of our
> MS Word import filter. Other than that we haven't heard from them. They're
> welcome to use to use our working XML file format :-) Sam has even written
> up a DTD describing the format.
>
There are two issues here:
1) Will we support this new format?
This has two potential answers.
a) If the format is made into a real standard (via ISO, or IETF, or ECMA,
or W3C, or . .) I personally promise support for all the features we
implement.
b) If this is just Sun's format, it will get the same priority as every
other format out there, although it being in XML will make it eaisier.
2) Will they work with us on developing this format?
I sincerely hope they will work with us, and with KWord, and with everyone
else, to develop quality, iteroperable, formats. I think it would be the
smart thing to do. I think it would benifit everyone in the long run.
But I'm not holding my breath.
I have just subscribetd to the openoffice.org mail list, so we will se
what turns up. I have hopes, but not strong ones.
sam th
sam@uchicago.edu
http://www.abisource.com/~sam
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