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**NickStone** · Oct 30, 2010, 03:03 PM

Re: Using Kubuntu because of Koffice.

Its nice to hear that you like koffice. I for one believe that people should make up their own minds and use whatever software they want to use.

I have both OpenOffice.org and koffice on my laptop (use OOo thru Gnome and koffice thru KDE). I prefer OOo because it just feels more professional.

**skunk** · Oct 30, 2010, 03:27 PM

Re: Using Kubuntu because of Koffice.

Beware of getting too attached to KOffice. The developers are currently in the middle of a spat and it is quite likely that the entire project may fork sooner rather than later.

Read through this thread to see the problems currently facing the project
http://lists.kde.org/?l=koffice-deve...2551919625&w=2

**woodsmoke** · Oct 30, 2010, 03:44 PM

Re: Using Kubuntu because of Koffice.

Skunk

THANK YOU VERY much for that linky.

I have absolutely NO idea what is going on, but I DO CARE!!!

Personally, I think that the whole...... Gestalt of Koffice is where the WHOLE of Linux should be pointed

So.....that..............Open Office ..........can be viewed as a workable, viable, complete, PROFESSIONAL, you name it.....

thing that has to be used when one has to interact with a MS product .......

but leading to Koffice....

This is a REAL BUMMER for me....

But then....even though I have often criticised the "Cathedral and Bazaar" idea that ONLY the Bazaar works...

maybe....I DO NO KNOW....maybe this will be a good thing.....

Some people may have noticed my small contribution to Linux Forums about Koffice wherein I SAMEFULLY promoted Koffice because of the right hand panel changing the "gestalt" of how a mouse is use....

Maybe............the Kwriter people have come up with a NEW BETTER idea.....

I dunno............

As long as it gets us FAR, FAR away from the predatory practices of MS I will promote it.

For those who think that I only like "free" software.......I acknowledge that the "great tumult" of people have voted with their mouse clicks that MS products are "easy to use"....

But...........

DARN!!! DARN!!!!!

I hope that this does not some how ..............."split" the really GNU "free" Koffice beyond it's being usable...

I mean..... a word processor NOT in the suite>

If any Koffice people HAPPEN to be reading this..............

KEEP US..............THE USERS...........INFORMED..........PLEEEEEEEEEZEEEE !!!

Sorry....

But thanks for that linky, I was COMPLETELY UNaware of it....

but.............seeing that I am waaay older than dirt and spend large amounts of time on the couch... I just missed it...

If you see something that I do not PLEASE post it...

woodsmoke

**GreyGeek** · Oct 30, 2010, 09:57 PM

Re: Using Kubuntu because of Koffice.

Another message in the thread gave more details about the reasons for the split and what may happen.

The people that stated to want to fork as group 'B' have a different goal for
the KOffice codebase. Their priorities are different and attempts to make those
priorities open and clear (like working together in kdes bugzilla) is an
ongoing struggle. Attempts to synchronize the different priorities are largely
one-sided and unsuccessful.

Looks like they got hit with a "poisonous developer", a.k.a. "Poisonous User"

KOffice is an open source codebase and a free and open source community project,
part of the larger KDE community. The best way to get KOffice to go far is to
work together and therefore be an opening and growing community. We got
distracted by allowing in our community a team that failed to integrate and put
their own needs over the needs of KDE.
The solution going forward is to allow the people that want to go fast to go on
alone. The resulting project of going alone would not be an FOSS project as
described above. Due to this the fork of Group B would not fit in KDE (the
community).

KOffice wants to go slow, everyone else wants to go fast.

I, too, had decided to move my office needs to KOffice, but this puts a hold on those plans.

**woodsmoke** · Oct 30, 2010, 10:12 PM

Re: Using Kubuntu because of Koffice.

That really is too bad.

I had not heard of, or read, the term "poisonous developer/user", my limited experience was with "trolls" in forums.. too bad, really...

But then, I am always GO, GO, GO GO!! lol meself...so...

I just hope things work out.

woodsmoke

**kyonides** · Oct 31, 2010, 03:39 PM

Re: Using Kubuntu because of Koffice.

Is M$ involved in this weird split? I mean, some people want to fork KOffice but seem to want to create a KOffice commercial alternative...

**GreyGeek** · Oct 31, 2010, 04:00 PM

Re: Using Kubuntu because of Koffice.

I doubt MS is involved in the KOffice stuggles. KOffice is a LONG way from being any kind of competitive threat to MS Office, or even OpenOffice or LibreOffice.

All in all, this is just lesson on what happens when one or a few decide they don't want to cooperate with the rest of the group.

But, forks aren't the end of the world. In fact, forks allow the competition of ideas. The community eventually decides which fork is best and the other fork either merges or dies. In the end, all things work to good...

**skunk** · Dec 07, 2010, 08:28 AM

Re: Using Kubuntu because of Koffice.

Originally posted by skunk

Beware of getting too attached to KOffice. The developers are currently in the middle of a spat and it is quite likely that the entire project may fork sooner rather than later.

And the fork appears http://www.calligra-suite.org/

**jeremy1701** · Dec 07, 2010, 12:28 PM

Re: Using Kubuntu because of Koffice.

Interesting. I've always felt Koffice lacked the look and feel of professionalism that comes with OOO and MS Office. Perhaps this will be the impetus the project needs to finally propel KOffice to the next level? I know Flow (formally Kivio) could use a *major* overhaul. I'll keep an eye out for Calligra and try it a few times.

**woodsmoke** · Dec 07, 2010, 04:50 PM

Re: Using Kubuntu because of Koffice.

Hi Jeremy

Thanks very much for the comment, because it brings up something that has been percolating in my little brain...and it is VERY little!

I spend quite a bit of time at forums for various office applications because that is about all that I can do for "Linux" since i'm not a coder or anything...but....

Please allow me to posit a question from what you posted...."look and feel of professionalism".

Would you please expand on that? I'm not going to come back with an "argument" about "this or that" I would just like for you to comment, as much as you wish, about what there is about this or that program that provides, to you the look and feel upon which you commented.

thanks in advance
woodsmoke

**Ole Juul** · Dec 08, 2010, 03:29 AM

Re: Using Kubuntu because of Koffice.

Originally posted by woodsmoke

Please allow me to posit a question from what you posted...."look and feel of professionalism".

I'm interested too. I have a life-long interest in the history of typesetting and graphic arts. What I have noticed is that much contemporary "professionalism" results in what would historically be, and definitely is to me, a very childish look. I think what has happened is that since computers took over graphic arts, we have seen a lot of influence from people who are uneducated (no historical knowledge) in the field. Of course this is a natural result of the availability of the media, but it does put a bit of a shadow over the word "professional". I would suggest that the word should generally be replaced with "fashionable".

**jeremy1701** · Dec 08, 2010, 09:18 AM

Re: Using Kubuntu because of Koffice.

I meant no dis-respect against Koffice... I support the community/developers and think they're doing a fantastic job. Office suites are a personal preference, mine just happens to be for OOO. :P

**woodsmoke** · Dec 08, 2010, 10:43 PM

Re: Using Kubuntu because of Koffice.

Thanks Ole Jule,

would you care to expand on what might be done in any type ...type...joke... lol of office application to make it visually more appealing but also workable, in a 'classic' sense?

Thanks jeremy,
But is there some "thing" about the look and feel that you don't prefer? It won't be taken as a criticism but I'd just like your opinion.

Like to me....Koffice has an overall "grainy" "feel" to the appearance... I don't "mind it" but it is probably to speed the rendering of it because of the big panel at the side.

Like one of the things that people were really clamouring for in Vista was "aeroglass" a shiney appearance..

anything like that?

woodsmoke

**perspectoff** · Dec 09, 2010, 09:33 AM

Re: Using Kubuntu because of Koffice.

This is a pretty stupid warning. A type of FUD, really.

There is nothing wrong with forks of software -- it does not mean the software will shrivel up and die.

Ubuntu is a fork of Debian, after all, and Kubuntu a fork of Ubuntu.

So what?

It just means that the focus on each product is maintained by a smaller set of developers.

It is actually likely that each individual product will be refined.

ReKonq is a fork of Konqueror, and Rekong has now become the default in KDE.

So what?

You shouldn't get the community worked up over forks. That is the nature of open source software and is its strength, not its weakness.

Recognize FUD and stamp it out.

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