Subject: Re: AbiWord file association capture - apology
From: John Selby (a.selby@paradise.net.nz)
Date: Sun Jan 20 2002 - 01:40:42 CST
At 01:23 19-1-2002 +0000, Alan Horkan <horkana@tcd.ie> wrote:
>
>FLAME ON!
>right ive had more than enough of this,
>i try really hard to be helpful and polite but this sillyness must end.
>
-------------------
I am sorry to have been the cause of something which is seen as Flaming.
My original post was a genuine query to ask for the opinions of others and
there was no intention to cause offence. If the post has done so, I
apologise for it.
I very much appreciate the work done by all the developers of this software.
------------------
>
>The code for abiword is available, as is the code for the installer
>Free software (aka Open Source) is about freedom, you have the freedom to
>change things, or try and get some one else to change it.
>
>these articles might be informative
>http://www.tuxedo.org/~esr/faqs/hacker-howto.html
>http://www106.pair.com/rhp/hacking.html
>
>If you want things dont your way then submitting a patch to the code is
>the best (but not the only) way to convince people
-----------------
I would like to be able to take up this challenge and contribute in this
way. I did take a look at the two articles above and, honestly I don't
think I have the kind of abilities required to do this kind of stuff.
------------------
>
>We know about this feature, and i will probably submit a patch to change
>it for the sake of usability.
>
.....
>
>I continue to be amazed and appalled by the reaction of people who did not
>bother to read the instructions and just installed blindly.
>
----------------
Well, yes that would be a fair comment about my carelessness when
installing. But what about the mass of people who simply don't understand
what to do, and don't know any better?
I have a particular interest in this, as a volunteer with a non profit
organisation called SeniorNet; we teach older people how to use computers.
They often come to us with no idea of computers whatsoever, and struggle
with simple things like clicking mouse buttons and highlighting text. They
want to be able to send emails, write letters etc and just Use computers
without having to understand anything technical about how they operate.
My ambition is to use AbiWord eventually as the basis for our Word
Processing level 1 course, so we don't have to keep trying to change our
tutor manuals every time MS changes its current package.
Maybe we could lend students an installation CD ROM of AbiWord which would
autorun and make installation very simple, but I wouldn't expect our
students to be making any custom selections during installation - many of
them just wouldn't understand what was required.
And I wouldn't want AbiWord to interfere with file associations for any
other word processing software already installed on their computer, perhaps
being used by some other member of the family.
-------------
>
>Bugzilla is for bugs, features request, usability issues, speed,
>footprint et cetera et cetera.
>Submit a bug report to Bugzilla and cast your votes.
>http://bugzilla.abisource.com
>
-------------
OK, have done that just now. The bug number is 2621.
Even remembered to then go and vote for it!
I hope others who would like to see the default changed will go and cast a
vote or two.
Again, my thanks to the developers; your combined efforts are much appreciated.
Cheers, John Selby.
-----------------------------------------------
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