Desktop Linux (fwd)

[Jeff Kinz]

On Thu, Feb 26, 2004 at 10:38:27AM -0800, Michael Costolo wrote:
> --- Jeff Kinz <jkinz at kinz.org> wrote:
> > So - You are saying that using OpenOffice writer, a clone of MS-Word,
> > constitutes 'Learning a new application" for a Microsoft Word user?

> Yes.

Ok, I understand.  You're ignoring the obvious for the purposes of making 
a point of vocabulary or splitting a semantic hair that has absolutely
no meaning in the real world.  Truly thou art a Software Engineer.
(So am I.)   Being occasionally A.R. is something we definitely have in
common. :-)

So, what happened to the Table ?  :-) 
You couldn't come up with example of a common operation that was
different between the two? Why? 'Cause there aren't any.

A difference which makes no difference is no difference.

> > Every operation that people commonly use in MS-Word was invoked and
> > operated EXACTLY the same way in OO as it was in Word.

> It is a new application, no?  
No.
I'll specify a standard here so we have something to measure by.

In order for something be considered a new application it needs to have
at least 51% of the common operations invoked and operated in completely
new and different ways.  (We can negotiate the percentage to something you're
happy with if you don't like 51%. )

So OpenOffice Writer is a re-implementation of an old application.
I guess you could say it has nice shiny new bits though. :-) If that
makes you happy.


> That it behaves remarkably similarly to the one they
> are familiar with makes the transition easier.  But it *is* a new application.
That it behaves Identically to the one they are familiar with means
there is no transition, hence - no learning.  hence they did not
learn a new application. QED.
> 
> > > Honestly now, how different are word processing applications? 
> > 
> > Scribus, Applix, Wang, Interleaf, Adobe Publisher, Wordstar,
> > COBATEF,LXRTF, ana-systems, CatTrax, CSSC, Homecraft Software, Kudo,
> > Informatel, and others - some vertically integrated word processors used
> > by the newspaper and publishing industries. All very different, some
> > requiring specialized training.
> 
> But we aren't talking about the newspaper industry, are we?  
These are not newspaper publishing apps.  
Scribus, Applix, Wang, Interleaf, Adobe Publisher, Wordstar,  
Sorry.

> Average people can figure out how to use the common word processors
> like Word, Word Perfect, OpenOffice Writer, etc., with no "specialized
> training."
yes - Average people can use Word processors that work identically
to the one they already know.  No "Learning" is involved.

Basically all you are saying is that whenever people encounter a word
processor that works just like Word, they won't have to learn anything
new. Like OpenOffice and (the current versions of ) Wordperfect.

See?   You do get it.  :)

> Perhaps we should just agree to disagree on this one.
Can we learn how to do that? :-)

-- 
Jeff Kinz, Open-PC, Emergent Research,  Hudson, MA.  
"jkinz at kinz.org" is copyright 2003.  
Use is restricted. Any use is an acceptance of the offer at
http://www.kinz.org/policy.html.