Very Computer

From what I have seen most Linux apps, like WP:S use xml as internal
file format. I dont know anything of XML, but as I see it what could
really boost linux and linux applications development is if there were
a filter library available.

If should be able to convert all (as many as possible) of the
propriatery file formats to open formats, like xml.

It is a complete waste of time, and compleetly against the filosofy of
not inventing the wheel over and over, that very talanted word
processors, like AbiSource, Koffice, Go, GWP, perhaps Maxwell, and
perhaps also some of the comercials ones, all sit down and make windows
.doc filters.

Someone ought (sorry, not me) to sit down and make a library of the
filtering code available in the open source of some of the apps
mentioned.

Then the filters can improve independently of the apps, and the apps
will get acceptance more rapidly. It is really hard to start to use a
GPL word processor at work, when all the docs I get is in word95 or
word97 format, and right now I must leave all docs in word95 format.

I can understand that filter libraries, in the same way that we have
jpeg libraries and so on is hard when we dont have an open standard
format, but has'nt everyone agreed on XML now ?

Or if that is not enough, it is really time to sit down and create a
common standard for this.

Johan

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work * filters so that MS can change the format?  it
seems pointless unless MS starts using XML.
-ckm

<stuff snipped>

Quote:>It is a complete waste of time, and compleetly against the filosofy of
>not inventing the wheel over and over, that very talanted word
>processors, like AbiSource, Koffice, Go, GWP, perhaps Maxwell, and
>perhaps also some of the comercials ones, all sit down and make windows
>.doc filters.

Even better would be to contribute to word2x, MSwordview or whatever
patches to write XML. word2x has seperate output stages that make it
attratcive but needs a lot of work on the input side. IF anyone wishes
to help fix this problem or contribute XML output then I am open to
patches. This not only saves re-inventing the wheel put allows people
that need something other than XML to leverage other people's work (esp.
things like binary format understanding input stages).

The only disadvantage is that the code is GPL, except where this is
impossible to an NDA and written by me, so you must document whatever
format your program likes. I can not be made to see this a problem.

If M$ started using XML everybody's life would be a lot easier.

Duncan (-:
--
Duncan (-:
"software industry, the: unique industry where selling substandard goods is
legal and you can charge extra for fixing the problems."