Posted: Wed Nov 16, 2005 2:29 pm Post subject: Translation (almost complete)
Interview of Eric Bachard
OpenOffice 2.0 is one of the most important open-source projects. Its goal is both simple and ambitious : be a viable alternative to Microsoft Office. The sucess of this kind of projects begins to worry commercial software makers. Last example, not the least important : French Treasure System switched from Microsoft Office to OpenOffice, a choice that enabled them to save 29 million euros (nearly 34 million dollars).
As version 2.0 of this office suite is almost finalized (!), we interviewed Eric Bachard, one of the leaders of the Mac porting team. He explains us which are the benefits of this suite, how does such a project is managed and how will the suite evolve in the future.
How does one become the leader of such a project?
I hadn't even thought about that when Martin Hollmichel (the «maestro» ), proposed me to become co-lead with him.
The important thing is to concentrate on what is to be done, and there are many things to do for the Mac port. By the way, leader is an exagerated word. OpenOffice.org is a community project, each one has the role corresponding to what he brought to the project.
I'm very close with the french community, directed by Sophie Gautier, and with the german community
Is that your main professional activity?
In real life, I'm a physics teacher and I work at the UTBM, an engeenering school.
To you, what are the advantages of OpenOffice over Microsoft suite?
I'm unable to compare OpenOffice.org to MS Office, but I can mention things I like in OpenOffice.org :
- it's a free software : we can copy it, install it many times without being an outlaw ;
- its file format is open, perennial and reliable ;
- there are no spywares inside of it ;
- it is multiplatform (Mac OS X, Linux, Windows, Solaris...), multiarchitecture (x86, ppc, alpha, ...).
...and it works better and better. Even with Mac OS X !
As for quality, we don't suffer the comparison, we make progress every day.
Can we determine the market share of OpenOffice and Star Office?
I have no idea of the exact figure of the installed base, but it is definitely important. For example, some french ministries and institutions already use OpenOffice.org. The taxpayer I am appreciates.
If I remember well, Louis Suarez Potts (the other project lead, and member of the community head), has mentionned the figure of 49 million downloads *before* OpenOffice.org 2.0 release in a recent interview.
Furthermore, OpenOffice.org is translated in more than 40 languages. Available for several OS and architectures.
To keep it short and simple : the installed base is growing constantly
And how many people are working on it?
Hard to answer and I have no clear idea on it because it's very complex : everything is a project in OpenOffice.org, and people are as much needed in marketing, developing, testing...
On the Mac, we have the feeling it's hard to make developers invest themselves on such projects. What do you think about this?
It's not easy but it's also OpenOffice.org project's fault : its size, no complete and clear documentation on the API, continious code base modifications, all this doesn't help. Even if some people came by one day, I understand that they are not able keep up. Those who want to help us are welcome
It has seriously improved these days and I have very serious contacts. Moreover, the Mac community is a quality community and it also grows steadily
Is the open source finding its way on the Mac?
Yes and no.
Why?
It regroups two very different worlds : users coming from the open source community, essentially Linux and *BSD don't always have the same requests that the typical Mac OS X user.
Mentalities are also different. Someone who is used to Linux will be less interested by the look but more by the flexibility, the use potientials and personalization.
Do you think that the Intel transition will change things?
Yes, I'm convinced.
By the way, is the Intel transition a good thing for the open source community or will it give more work?
It means more work, for sure. Say if that is a good thing, I don't know (I like PowerPC...).
I would like to thank the Cusoo project that helps us a lot. This association has, for example, financed the project Base (3000 euros - 3500 $). Thank to them also for the DTK rent (1500 euros - 1750 $). I warmly thank them.
But other projects help us like the german project Team OpenOffice.org de that contributed to buying a Power Mac G5 used as a tinderbox and the second DTK (with partial contribution from Cusoon).
How can Mac users OpenOffice adoption rate compare with other platforms?
I don't know where it comes from but Mac users are reluctant to install X11 for OpenOffice.org, although they do it easily for other applications they need. I admit I fail to understand.
All that I can say is that we have worked very much for milestone 2.0, and I sincerely believe that we'll come to something satisfying very soon. Current development releases (m133 for example) with automatic fondu already meet sucess.
You are rumored to be working on a future Aqua version of OpenOffice. What about it?
Right now, there is no Aqua version, even if we have made a lot of progress with something that is not X11 (Note from the translator: Who is "we" and what is this something?)
Next, it will probably be very long : event though a non-X11 version might work, it would not be a "Mac OS X" application with a behaviour like the Mac Users know -- Cocoa apps for instance. The problem comes from the fact that OpenOffice.org is a complete framework (it makes its own windows, buttons, menues, etc.) as Cocoa does.
We will then have to mix two frameworks with different working concepts (procedural vs. object) and it will not give something very stable. Some parts may have to be thoroughly rewrought ( a lot of code is involved). It will take time and a lot of resources.
The most important is to lay everything on the table, to do what's needed, as well as we can and in the right order : it is free software.
Doesn't this renewal of competition on the market (we now have many wordprocessors on Mac OS X) play against OpenOffice?
OpenOffice.org is a complete office suite (especially release 2.0). The fact that there is competition is sane, when this competition is loyal. In fact, there is a constant evolution and tomorrow's software may or may not look like todays.
But IMHO, the more important is the file formats used. Be it music, text, presentation or whatever...
Which other open source project do you like particularly and why?
Maybe the Gimp because this software managed to adapt, even to Mac OS X. I have many contacts with some developers of Fink because they spend much time on IRC.
To run open source software, how does Mac OS X compares with other platform?
Considering me, no problem : everything I need is available, with much in common with Linux (that I still use a lot), and I am not lost when I use Mac OS X.
For the "regular" user - I mean not used to command line -, it's different. For example, Apple hasn't been sympathetic with Tiger's X11 version : better default parameters would have avoided many problems like those regularly mentionned on forum boards about X11.
Does Apple supports you in whatever way in this project?
The Mac porting project of OpenOffice.org would appreciate material help from Apple.
For example, if I had some computers lent (like Macs mini + displays), I could propose some my students to imply themselves in the development of OpenOffice.org on Mac OS X : that would be a useful training with positive symbols.
Posted: Wed Nov 16, 2005 2:47 pm Post subject: Re: Translation (almost complete)
It took me quite a long time but I did it
Quote:
I would like to thank the Cusoo project that helps us a lot. This association has, for example, financed the project Base (3000 euros - 3500 $). Thank to them also for the DTK rent (1500 euros - 1750 $). I warmly thank them.
But other projects help us like the german project Team OpenOffice.org de that contributed to buying a Power Mac G5 used as a tinderbox and the second DTK (with partial contribution from Cusoon).
I didn't know they had 2 DTK
Quote:
Which other open source project do you like particularly and why?
Maybe the Gimp because this software managed to adapt, even to Mac OS X.
Like James said : "If I wanted X11, I would use Yellow Dog, not MacOSX."
I'd prefer find this subject in X11 development (or whatever X11?) There is obviously not the good place.
ericb->val1984 : thank you for the translation. I'll read it carefully.
Just a question : why didn't you contact me directly, to give my opinion before to post it ?
ericb->val1984 : thank you for the translation. I'll read it carefully.
Just a question : why didn't you contact me directly, to give my opinion before to post it ?
Eric,
We encourage free and open dialog in our forums. You are free to post your opinion here. However, to expect that that people will "check with you first" and/or seek your approval is unrealistic.
>However, to expect that that people will "check with you first"
>and/or seek your approval is unrealistic.
I'm not sure. val1984 has made a very good work, and we could use it because it desserve it really. Last but not least, english is the most universal language. Very interesting, thank's again val1984.
Again, find this interview translation in this topic is ...strange.
I'd prefer find this subject in X11 development (or whatever X11?) There is obviously not the good place.
The Random Whatnot forum is for "all other" topics, including general topics about OpenOffice.org, OpenDocument, and free/open-source software, links to articles about these subjects, and so forth. (In fact, recently more of the topics in "Random Whatnot" have been general OOo-related than "truly random" non-OOo-related!) The "Development" forums are for technical discussion related to development (what CVS tag to use, my build broke, how do I compile this? et cetera), so this forum is, in fact, the most relevant one for val1984's translation of your interview.
Smokey
P.S. Thanks, val, for the translation. I understood most of the French, but the translation was very helpful for the rougher spots _________________ "[...] whether the duck drinks hot chocolate or coffee is irrelevant." -- ovvldc and sardisson in the NeoWiki
Why do you systematically move everything from me there ?
This announce obviously concerns OpenOffice.org X11 development.
I didn't move this topic; it began in this forum. I merely stated that, contrary to your opinion, this is the appropriate forum for this topic under the classification system used here on Trinity.
Development fora are for technical questions about development.
If you visited more often (and, aside from these arguments, I wish you and the other X11 porting team members spent more time here interacting with the users of your product and the members of the community who try and support those users), you would understand the forum hierarchy and classification scheme that has been in use since 2003.
You are, of course, free to post whatever topics you wish in the X11 fora here, and as I no longer read those fora, you should have no worries that I will move your posts to more appropriate fora.
I will continue, however, to moderate the fora that I do read by moving posts to the proper forum as appropriate, until such time as I am no longer a moderator here.
Smokey _________________ "[...] whether the duck drinks hot chocolate or coffee is irrelevant." -- ovvldc and sardisson in the NeoWiki
I'd prefer find this subject in X11 development (or whatever X11?) There is obviously not the good place.
I opened this topic and I think it is in its right place because it is not about technical aspects of the development and it concerns the Cocoa port of OO.org which will obviously be wrongly placed in an X11 forum
ericbachard wrote:
ericb->val1984 : thank you for the translation. I'll read it carefully.
Just a question : why didn't you contact me directly, to give my opinion before to post it ?
I don't know how to contact you/didn't think about contacting you sorry
ericb->val1984 : thank you for the translation. I'll read it carefully.
Just a question : why didn't you contact me directly, to give my opinion before to post it ?
eric, was there an error in the translation? i am confused as to your concern...
as an english speaker who had to read it via google translator, val1984's translation was much appreciated.
as for having this topic in the development section, perhaps a 'roadmap' type post there? i can start it based on your interview, but if you wrote it, it would be much better.
ericb->val1984 : thank you for the translation. I'll read it carefully.
Just a question : why didn't you contact me directly, to give my opinion before to post it ?
eric, was there an error in the translation? i am confused as to your concern...
Based on my knowledge of French, val1984's translation was much better than Google's and more understandable.
JakeOSX wrote:
as for having this topic in the development section, perhaps a 'roadmap' type post there? i can start it based on your interview, but if you wrote it, it would be much better.
I agree. A roadmap of what Eric is doing would be very helpful. It does not have to, and should not, contain dates of when certain events would/should happen. It should definately give a background on why there is an attempt to port OpenOffice 2.0 to the Cocoa interface and the technical details on what has to be done. This can duplicate information located on the Porting Web Page and can even include a link to that page if it is easier than posting information in two locations.
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