Re: Gnome Office updates

[Charles Goodwin <charlie xwt org>]

Dom Lachowicz wrote:
> I'd also like to say that I'm not in favor of an all-inclusive approach. 
> I think that - in order to present a viable, cohesive, and coherent 
> front - we must choose best-of-breed applications.

Yes, the Gnome Office suite should be *best-of-breed* office 
applications for Gnome.

That doesn't mean we should not consider other office applications as 
integral to the community and the Gnome Office portal should be an entry 
point for all things office for Gnome although primarily focusing on 
Gnome Office.

The are reasons for this other than promoting the development of office 
applications for Gnome.

 o  Best-of-breed implies that if one application is to surpass another
    then it should be adopted by Gnome Office.  If we do not have an
    existing place-holding on the Gnome Office portal for this app then
    it immediately increases the amount of work required to adopt a
    new / different application.

 o  It is easier for users who may be looking for all things office for
    Gnome to be able to get information from a single source.  There may
    be applications that we don't want in the Gnome Office suite but are
    useful for their niche.

In short, I think there's good reason to have:

 o  Gnome Office suite
      Best-of-breed core Gnome Office applications

 o  Gnome Office partner applications
      Applications who either are periphery (niche?) office applications
      or who would be want to be part of the Gnome Office suite if
      chosen - projects who want to collaborate with Gnome Office

 o  Exits
      Office applications that are not formally linked with Gnome Office

Much in the same way freedesktop.org exists are a forum for discussing 
development of desktop standards and interoperability between desktops, 
I think the Gnome Office portal could offer a forum and a platform for 
discussion of office projects for Gnome and collaboration between those 
projects.

But Gnome Office itself should be a suite of best-of-breed Gnome office 
applications.

Hope that makes sense.  (Lots of similar words in different contexts...)

- Charlie