On Wed, 2004-12-22 at 08:56 -0700, Robin Laing wrote: > Ryan D'Baisse wrote: > > Okay, I am beginning to see just how many apps out there are > > classified as word processors. So, allow me to get a bit more > > specific... > > > > 1. The editor must be WYSIWYG; > > > > 2. It must be able to import to, and export from, Microsoft Word > > format without any difficulties; and, > > I will state that this won't ever happen unless all users are using > the same version with the same installation configuration. I hear the > screams as people that are working on collaborations get work back > that doesn't look like the copy previously worked on. More hours lost > re-formatting. > I think the *unreasonable* goal here is that it must interface with the proprietary format word documents, "without difficulty" and we all know that M$ changes the format regularly to prevent that. Thus an unreachable goal and a better plan would be to go to a standardized format that is not dependent upon the whims of M$. One that many editors can use easily and without the stress of trying to reverse engineer a format that is deliberately closed. > > > > 3. It must have strong formatting abilities. For example, when I > > mentioned "intelligent bulleting," I was referring to the ability to > > hit <TAB> and have the editor indent a paragraph and renumber the > > paragraph with the next appropriate hierarchy (i.e., I, A, 1, i, a, > > etc.). OpenOffice and StarOffice attempt to do this, but they fail > > after the second level. > > From what I have heard. Word is just awful for formatting the "Way > you want it" and from my limited experience it is. As stated above, > Word will convert and change whole documents formatting if you make > one little change. Worse, it won't always undo cleanly. I have > converted some scientists over to OpenOffice on Windows to overcome > this problem. > I have had similar experiences. > > > > Simply put, I need something where I can compose a professional > > document, with as much ease as possible, and then hand that file to a > > printer for mass publication without any retooling of the document to > > make it pretty. I want to be able to write, and have the editor > > handle formatting correctly and cosmetically, so my concentration can > > remain on the subject matter. > > > Most people that I know that write scientific papers do the writing > first then the formatting. They may put some formatting in place as > they write but it is finalized in the editing phase. This is when > they find the limitations of Word. I don't know of a single person > that makes it correct on the first go. > > Only two weeks ago I was searching for Windows Versions of LaTex > editors for a scientist that had just lost all the formatting in Word. > > Then there is the added benefit of OpenOffice being able to open MS > word files that Word refuses to open. OOo 2.0 preview has been > released and it is supposed to be better at handling Microsoft Office > documents. > -- > Robin Laing >
