Abiword, Gnumeric for ITOS 2006
 

Does somebody know what actually is the problem why these two programs don't get ported to ITOS 2006?

I need them...

Badly...

I am waiting for the port of Gnumeric, and since Etrunko started coding for the 770 again, my fingers are crossed...
Don't know anything about abiword

This unfavourable Gnumeric situation simply prevents my OS-2006 upgrade. Well - to be honest - I have become sudoku addictive too - so, I have desperately waited for the GPE-Sudoku's porting to 2006.
In addition to the AbiWord situation I think that it's lack of MS-Word-.doc-format is very harmful too, because the format is the most used in text processing. It's like having a nice motorcar without gearbox.

I think this lack of OS-2006 "extra" programs for end/standard users is becoming serious. BTW ,is it true that the 2005/2006 porting is a relatively easy procedure, meaning the developer not standard user?
But who's to blame: Nokia? Maemo-org? developers in question?

OK, I can understand the delay with Gnumeric, but Abiword? Heck, if I but knew how to spell programink, I'd give it a stab myself.

The lack of a DOC format is a hindrance, but -- as I explained in another post -- nothing that cannot be overcome by a simple USB memory stick and portable Abiword (see the thread "Make 770 Self-Reliant: Flash OS from 770" in the "2006 OS" forum). With a Google mailaccount I was even able to print documents I had composed on the 770 from any Windows PC that had a) a USB port, b) a printer attached and c) Internet access.

Portable Abiword can be found here:

http://portableapps.com/apps/office/...rtable_abiword

Abiword/Gnumeric
 

:) I am also in desparate need of these applications. I admit that MS-Word format support would be extremely helpful, but having them in any form would be VERY helpful. Thanks!

Have some patience!
 

C'mon folks! These are applications you are getting for free on an operating system platform that has been out for a little over a month! Nokia doesn't create these applications. Real developers do in their spare time. The developers are not paid or compensated at all.

Yet you are demanding that they release their gifts on your schedule. By using phrases like "what actually is the problem why these two programs don't get ported to ITOS 2006" and "who's to blame: ... developers in question?" you are likely to actually to delay a release rather than speed it along.

Try some encouragement and have some patience.

-F

Y'know what I think would be nice? If MS used open doc standards and got rid of their proprietary formats. (There's been way too little open source preachiness lately, figured I'd stir some up, heh!)

As for Soduku, it was ported a long time ago. It was never added to the maemo app wiki and I found it by googling [".armel" "sodoku"]
I can't find it for the life of me now.

I did however take the liberty of gmailing it to myself. I'll attach it now.

:)

That is a crappy argument and actually harmful to Open Source. That applications like Abiword or Gnumeric are free of charge, was a choice of the developers, not a demand of the users. This choice by no means gives those developers some special status or absolves them from justified nagging from users (yes, I'm perfectly aware that I'm nagging; there's nothing else I can do).

Point is: both Abiword and Gnumeric were released very shortly after the release of the Nokia 770 and now, after the release of ITOS 2006, they seem to have disappeared without any explanation or excuse. This is not very nice behaviour towards users, and users of open software are by no means different from users of closed software.

What your remark does, is basically make people think twice about adopting open software. You see, I don't choose open source because it doesn't cost me money, and if open source implies -- as you state -- that I shut up and be quietly grateful for whatever I get, then I'd rather pay someone money to get what I want, whatever the state of the sources.

"Regular" Abiword supports the ODP format of OpenOffice.org, which is arguably the most open document format on the "market" to date.

On another note, early on in the 770's history, I seem to remember a rumour that Nokia was going to release their own version of a wordprocessor for the 770, but I haven't heard from that since.

Oh yeah, I don't like Sudoku: I'm too stupid to solve the puzzles.

Asking, bothering, nagging is all good. Demanding something for nothing is not.

I believe the point is that both Abiword and Gnumeric were released for ITOS 2005. While it may not be "nice" of them not to continue support, the authors can do what they want with the software. There is no implied contract for upgrades or new versions or even bug fixes. Read the license agreements.

The benefit of open software is community and, through that community, quality. That community is fostered by sharing of source, comments, discussion, and expertise. That community is broken down by those who demand things from the developers. If people don't like that premise, then they should pay money to someone they can yell at to get what they want.

And if you can't contribute to that community, then -- yeah -- you should shut up and be grateful for whatever you get.

-F