Re: ready to be flamed about ms word

[valen tuatha org]

On Sat, Aug 28, 1999 at 07:51:09AM -0700, Bob Lissner mentioned:
> We're starting to think that we should use Microsoft file
> formats for Word, Excel, and Access.  Why?  I also run a
> home building business, and every day I get Word files
> attached to email.  The sender just ASSUMES that I can read
> Word files, or Excel, etc.  So why fight it?

 I was talking to Caolan MaNamara (http://www.csn.ul.ie), author of
MSWordView, and he was saying that there are massive problems with
supporting the MSWord spec - it changes constantly, it's not open, and
Microsoft don't even know enough about it to document it (check recent
discussion on the Irish Linux User Group about it:
    http://www.linux.ie/pipermail/ilug/1999-August/005068.html )

 It's probably best not to spend too much time supporting the Word format,
but if you do, base the reading on MSwordview...it's quite good...

Kate