Re: [oiic-formation-discuss] My perspective. display perferct?

[robert_weir@us.ibm.com]

"Dave Pawson" <dave.pawson@gmail.com>
wrote on 07/14/2008 02:48:08 PM:

> 
> 2008/7/14  <robert_weir@us.ibm.com>:
> >
> >
> > "Dave Pawson" <dave.pawson@gmail.com> wrote on
07/14/2008 01:43:00 PM:
> 
> >> > This is why I suggested we might want to concentrate
on how the
> >> data is represented ON DISK as opposed to ON SCREEN.
> >>
> >>
> >> Is that of interest to others?
> >> If I create a (valid) odf document, save it to disk
> >> should it remain unchanged in terms of content when it passes
through
> >> another application?
> >> I guess metadata will change (date last edited etc), but
stuff the user
> >> wrote?
> >> Should that remain 'fixed' (markup + content?)
> 
> >
> > I would suspect that the vast majority of useful document processing
> > applications will change the input document in someway,
> 
> That wasn't the question Rob.
> 

And that wasn't an answer, Dave.  It was an observation.


> I asked if list members were interested in retaining content (metadata
> excluded, as stated)
> 

But you have not been able to express this in a way
the allows the user to use an application to intentionally alter content.
 If we say that an application cannot change the content of a document,
then we just prohibited word processors.  If we allow applications
to change content as directed by the user, then we are reduced to "Don't
do anything unexpected".

> 
> > In fact the main advantage of an open format like ODF is that
it makes it
> > easier to write applications that can read/write/create/modify
ODF
> > documents.
> 
> I did state, if user content is unchanged. I.e. it's the app
> thats messing with user content or markup. (metadata excluded, as
stated)
> 

Users don't change anything.  Only applications
change ODF.  Until humans evolve the ability to directly change electromagnetic
encodings with their fingertips, this will remain true.


> >
> > I suspect what you really want
> 
> I know what I want.

Every has wants.  That is not an interesting.
 The question is whether you can express what you want as a provision
in a standard.

-Rob