Re: [office-collab] change tracking proposals

["Andreas J. Guelzow" <andreas.guelzow@concordia.ab.ca>]

On Fri, 2011-05-06 at 10:44 -0600, Robin LaFontaine wrote:
> Andreas,
> 
> You have raised a very good question re scope of change tracking and
> whether spreadsheets are included. Please would you comment on whether
> your question has been answered? You may like to comment on Dennis'
> question: 
> > Have you had any luck with the change-tracking for spreadsheets
> > already in ODF 1.2 and do you have any JIRA issues or other
> > observations that you could bring your unique attention to?

ODF1.2 simply reiterates the ODF1.0/1.1 description of change tracking
for spreadsheets.  Neither of them I find understandable, for example
the distinction between deletions and cutoffs raises the question (at
least in my mind) whether the table:position value refers to the current
col/row numbering or the col/row numbering at the time of the change.
The Standard appears mute on this. Moreover in the current discussion
there is concern about "buckets". The current spreadsheet change
tracking model appears to considers each table cell as a bucket which
seems quite coarse to me.

Based on the current state of the description and specification this
does not appear implementable to me.

> My understanding is that spreadsheet comparison and change tracking is
> very complex but also very important [1]. The result is that there is
> an industry providing capabilities in this area (here is a list
> provided to me: Actuate, Cerity, Cimcon, Compassoft, ClusterSeven,
> Finsbury, Lyquidity, Mobius, Prodiance, Qtier, Sheetware and
> Spreadsheet Advantage). 

This industry appears to address Excel worksheets.
> 
> How would you like to see spreadsheets included in our work?

I had been under the (possible wrong) impression that the committee was
to address change tracking in ODF documents. Spreadsheets are clearly
one type of such documents. 
> 
Andreas