Re: [tlug] The Great Mistake is thinking OOo is different [was: Why Vista Sucks]

["David J Iannucci" <jlinux@example.com>]

>>  WYSIWYG is not a solution, it is the problem, ....
> I don't think so. It is revolution and one of the solution. The fact
> is that this solution is best or good depends on your point of views.

I have to agree with Steve that WYSIWYG is a completely wrong-headed
approach to document preparation.  Making people be both writers and
page compositors is like making people regulate the firing of their
sparkplugs while they're driving.  OK, I just came up with that analogy
off the top of my head, so don't pick on it :-)  Page composition is a
task which is entirely automatable in 99% of cases, and so it SHOULD be
automated for the majority.  I think WYSIWYG was based on the idea that
people should have the freedom to make documents look exactly the way
they want, but this is a sort of freedom that most people don't want or
need, and ends up just being a burden.

> I wrote my papers in Latex because I can't get the Math formula
> displayed as I wanted with MS Word. But it took me a lot of time to
> learn Latex.

No doubt that was troublesome at a time when you really just wanted to
concentrate on writing, but the point is that the knowledge equity you
gained about LaTeX could have served you MUCH longer (had you kept it
up) than knowledge of the arcana of Word, which is likely to be
obsoleted at MS's whim, which means within 5 years or so. Not to mention
that it probably doesn't transfer well (if at all) between Word on
different platforms.

> Now I am an engineer and everyone in my company uses MS Word (me too).
> Because it is *productive* ( means: easy to get the job done, and
> everyones has MS Word installed ).

I wouldn't suggest that it is a pragmatic goal to try to convert the
world to right-headedness at this point, but in principle it would be
desirable :-)  At least those of us who "get it" can enjoy the benefits,
just like those of......... using Linux :-)

God bless Don (Knuth) and Leslie (Lamport)!

Dave