[odf-discuss] Abiword gets requests for OOXML, not ODF

[Ian Lynch]

On Mon, 2008-05-12 at 10:08 -0400, robert_weir at us.ibm.com wrote:

> Here's how I interpret it.  The enthusiasm for adding or improving ODF
> support for the N+1 word processor, decreases as N increases.  I
> wouldn't expect much excitement in a Google Summer of Code project for
> improving ODF support in the 6th most popular ODF-supporting word
> processor. 

I think that is the essence. Abi has to have MS compatibility until
people generally start passing odf files around as attachments. Even
with our best efforts that could be quite a way into the future. I can
always translate to MS formats from odf using OOo in any case for the
relatively few I'm ever going to get sent. While I could also use OOo to
translate from .doc or OOXML to odf realistically, at least in the short
term that is probably going to happen less.

I think Marbux's OLPC scenario is a bit doubtful. I doubt OLPC is going
to be that successful and MS might just as likely put Works on it. Other
low cost Linux based devices running OOo could well be just as popular
if prices drop under competition. RAM is going to keep falling in price
so there will come a time when a gig is easy and then there is no
difficulty at all running OOo on Linux. Even Vista without the glamour
would work ok on that. License costs are more likely to be a crucial
issue than RAM requirements. In a couple of years I can see an 8 gig
Linux laptop for 100 Euros. Unless you are doing digital video/audio I
can't see any mainstream software being a problem to run. What it won't
sustain is 50+ Euros for Windows and same for Office doubling the price.
Sort of depends how greedy MS is ;-)

Ian
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