Comments on: I don’t use GNOME http://blogs.gnome.org/joachimn/2006/04/02/i-dont-use-gnome/ Just another GNOME Blogs weblog Wed, 30 Nov -001 00:00:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: JZA http://blogs.gnome.org/joachimn/2006/04/02/i-dont-use-gnome/comment-page-1/#comment-1 JZA Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 http://blogs.gnome.org/joachimn/2006/04/02/i-dont-use-gnome/#comment-1 You can use the HTML editor as a 'Normal View'. This might be what you are looking for. <p/>However please remember that OpenOffice.org don't want to be a MSO clone. So far most of the characteristics you mention come from a user that want MS Word experience on OpenOffice.org. This is not our community final goal, since we don't think every feature on MSW is the best possible and some things simply don't fit our view of good or essentials in word processing.<p/>Once sayed that, yes, there are many things that could probably be change and improved on the following version of OOo. For example, positioning on Writer has a bit more restrictive positon which put a learning curve.<p/>For the 'removing paragraph formating' is done throughthe stylist. We have 'Predetermine' style and the 'Body text'. Usually body text should be the style that should have the default paragraph formating and predetermine should have the most vanilla format.<p/>The frustrating experience that you mention might be more in the sense of lack of documentation and tools to learn the 'openoffice.org way of things'. <p/>Fortunately some people have <a href="http://oooauthors.org">already taken actions</a> and we already have an extremely good book to properly using and learning about OpenOffice.org diferent modules.<p/>Making OOo look like MSO won't really help us that want to innovate rather than immitate within the community. You can use the HTML editor as a ‘Normal View’. This might be what you are looking for.

However please remember that OpenOffice.org don’t want to be a MSO clone. So far most of the characteristics you mention come from a user that want MS Word experience on OpenOffice.org. This is not our community final goal, since we don’t think every feature on MSW is the best possible and some things simply don’t fit our view of good or essentials in word processing.

Once sayed that, yes, there are many things that could probably be change and improved on the following version of OOo. For example, positioning on Writer has a bit more restrictive positon which put a learning curve.

For the ‘removing paragraph formating’ is done throughthe stylist. We have ‘Predetermine’ style and the ‘Body text’. Usually body text should be the style that should have the default paragraph formating and predetermine should have the most vanilla format.

The frustrating experience that you mention might be more in the sense of lack of documentation and tools to learn the ‘openoffice.org way of things’.

Fortunately some people have already taken actions and we already have an extremely good book to properly using and learning about OpenOffice.org diferent modules.

Making OOo look like MSO won’t really help us that want to innovate rather than immitate within the community.

]]> By: Joachim http://blogs.gnome.org/joachimn/2006/04/02/i-dont-use-gnome/comment-page-1/#comment-2 Joachim Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 http://blogs.gnome.org/joachimn/2006/04/02/i-dont-use-gnome/#comment-2 No, the HTML view isn't it: it expands the text to fill the whole window.<br/>I -- like a large number of people -- want to see my text as it will be on the page, with line breaks in the right place, and paragraphs a comfortable reading width, but without the distraction of page break graphics.<p/>I think OOo is too hung up about not becoming an MS Word clone. It's like a big monster under the bed you're scared of.<p/>Margin-clicks to select things have been part of the word processing landscape for decades. In that time, Word has gone from a DOS app with fake box graphics, to the unwieldy word for windows, to the current incarnation with clippy & friends. Following a simple convention that is quite logical to boot would not make you a clone.<p/>Software should be intuitive. There shouldn't have to BE a "learn the 'openoffice.org way of things'". Don't make the same mistake as GIMP, which invites its users to twist and staple their brains to understand the 'fun!' of GIMP. No, the HTML view isn’t it: it expands the text to fill the whole window.
I — like a large number of people — want to see my text as it will be on the page, with line breaks in the right place, and paragraphs a comfortable reading width, but without the distraction of page break graphics.

I think OOo is too hung up about not becoming an MS Word clone. It’s like a big monster under the bed you’re scared of.

Margin-clicks to select things have been part of the word processing landscape for decades. In that time, Word has gone from a DOS app with fake box graphics, to the unwieldy word for windows, to the current incarnation with clippy & friends. Following a simple convention that is quite logical to boot would not make you a clone.

Software should be intuitive. There shouldn’t have to BE a “learn the ‘openoffice.org way of things’”. Don’t make the same mistake as GIMP, which invites its users to twist and staple their brains to understand the ‘fun!’ of GIMP.

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