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Subject: Re: [odf-adoption] Interop camp example


Hi Rob,

Thanks a lot for your input and your ideas!

I'd like to step back for a second and think about the larger agenda
of the event first. Here is what I could imagine:


1) Keynote by an ODF adopter about what they expect regarding
    interoperability / conformance (30 minutes)

2) Potentially a second 30 minute keynote by another ODF adopter
    (30 minutes)

3) 10 minute presentations by the different ODF implementors who
    came to the event about how much of ODF they implemented,
    how they did it and what major problems they ran into
    (about 1 hour and 30 minutes)

4) Lunch (1 hour)

5) Workshop / discussion / brainstorming / life testing of the
    issues mentioned during the first presentations (3 hours)

6) A session for anybody interested in implementing ODF and
    wants to learn from the experts how to do it, e.g. it could
    be a panel where the newbies ask the experts. (1 hour)


Focusing on word processing might make sense because it might be
the area where we can achieve a critical mass most easily.
However, we could also first just ask the different companies and
projects who will come and then decide if we want to add other
aspects as well. For example, if Google and KOffice send
spreadsheet guys, we could add spreadsheets to the agenda.


Max Odendahl from Odendahl SEPT-Solutions who created Mobile
Office from Symbian already expressed interest in coming to the
event. I haven't heard back from Softmaker, yet.


I guess topics 1) to 5) would be useful for any vendor interested
in implementing ODF, but I think we should encourage them to
be remain in a "listening only" / consuming mode for the first
parts in order not to distract the interop discussions. Then in
session 6) all the newbies would get a chance to ask all the
questions they collected during the day. Invitations could be
sent to CMS, DMS, SOA, etc. vendors.


Anyway, in the end the key players for ths workshop are the
experts specifying ODF and implementing ODF. Thus, it might
make sense to move this discussion to the main line TC or
at least to include the main line TC.

I myself like to attend the event and am willing to help with the
setup, but I probably would not be a key player at the event myself.


All the best,
Erwin



robert_weir@us.ibm.com wrote:
> 
> A few words to explain what I was proposing for an interoperability camp.
> 
> I was thinking we could concentrate on word processor format 
> interoperability, since we're more likely to get a critical mass of 
> participants if we focus.  The idea would be to get those who knew the 
> internals of their word process and came with the source code and the 
> ability to prototype changes during the camp.   So we want the coders.
> 
> In advance of the camp, we would send out PDF files illustrating some 
> sample documents.  In advance of the camp, each vendor would attempt to 
> replicate that document to the best of their application's abilities. 
>  They would then save the document in ODF format.
> 
> An example document might be to replicate the first page of this PDF: 
>  https://www.socialsecurity.be/foreign/en/employer_limosa/infos/documents/pdf/act_mb_28122006.pdf 
> 
> 
> This is an example of Belgian statute format, where the text is given in 
> parallel translation.  To get the proper alignment would require 
> probably the use of tables with hidden borders.  There are also some 
> challenging aspects of getting the numbered lists and list levels correct .
> 
> When we send out the PDF we would also provide some annotations to 
> explain some finer points of the document that might otherwise be 
> overlooked, like the use of em-dahes and en-dashes in the page header.
> 
> Depending on the complexity, we might have 5 or so documents that we do 
> in this way, each one emphasizing different practical issues concerning 
> interoperability.
> 
> We would collect the ODF's from each vendor in advance of the camp, and 
> distribute them to everyone at the camp, or a few days in advance.  So 
> if we have 5 vendors, then everyone would have 5 different ODF versions 
> of each document.
> 
> And what do we do at the camp?  Say we have 5 vendors and 5 target 
> documents.  That gives each vendor 20 documents to try loading, giving 
> 100 different interoperability tests we can perform.  How do we handle 
> this?  One way would be to set aside an hour for each document and have 
> each vendor take a turn first explaining any issues they had in creating 
> the document originally, and then they could load each other vendor's 
> version of that document, and the group could note what new problems, if 
> any, show up.  If each vendor can be projecting their application on the 
> screen while doing this, we can all look and observe together, and do 
> this efficiently.
> 
> We would then want to reserve some time for coding, and some time at the 
> end for vendors to demonstrate any fixes, and some time to discuss next 
> steps.
> 
> As you can see, this is going to be time consuming.  So maybe we would 
> only be able to do 2-3 test documents?
> 
> -Rob
> ___________________________
> 
> Rob Weir
> Software Architect
> Workplace, Portal and Collaboration Software
> IBM Software Group
> 
> email: robert_weir@us.ibm.com
> phone: 1-978-399-7122
> blog: http://www.robweir.com/blog/



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