best WP app for producing .doc documents ?
in [UK Mac]
|
From: Woody on 6 Jul 2010 14:56 Rowland McDonnell <real-address-in-sig(a)flur.bltigibbet.invalid> wrote: > Woody <usenet(a)alienrat.co.uk> wrote: > > > Rowland McDonnell <real-address-in-sig(a)flur.bltigibbet.invalid> wrote: > > > > > Woody <usenet(a)alienrat.co.uk> wrote: > > > > > > > Rowland McDonnell wrote: > > > > > Woody<usenet(a)alienrat.co.uk> wrote: > > > > > > > > > > [snip] > > > > > > > > > >> A text edit only knows about characters, so the only structure it > > > > >> knows is end of line, as that is a character. > > > > > > > > > > I'd say no-one who'd ever met emacs could think that was the case. > > > > > > > > I used emacs quite a lot before I regained my sanity back at the start > > > > of the 90s. > > > > I view it as a text editor. It can run macros and it can perform actions > > > > on the text, but it is still a text editor. > > > > > > And yet it understands structure - if you load the appropriate mode. > > > > Not really, it can run modules to read the text and do something with > > it. I wouldn't count that as an understanding of structure, more running > > macros on the text. > > What is `understanding structure' from the point of view of software if > not `executing code to give the illusion of understanding'? Having a specific structure to execute that code on. > btw, emacs has Lisp under the bonnet - you're talking as if `macros' > aren't proper code and as if macros is all that's available. You're > wrong on both counts. > > > BBEDit can also do that, > > BBEdit can't do what emacs can do - it's neither as flexible or as > powerful. BBEdit can run perl / python / various other things. So yes, it is pretty flexible. > > yet it still doesn't > > understand structure itself. > > BBEdit doesn't have the power of emacs. And no software understands > anything really, does it? its a phrase you used as well, but no, just in case I am aware that a text editor has no actual understanding or consiousness if that helps the discussion! > > > "Arbortext, PTC's dynamic information delivery software, offers an > > > end-to-end solution that streamlines how your organization authors, > > > manages and delivers product information on demand. " > > > > Its a tool which produces sgml or xml. It lets you fill in fields in an > > sgml structure. > > So it's definitely not in the set which includes text editors, WPs, and > DTP packages. It's a different class of software entirely - not to be > considered in the same breath as the rest of 'em. Well, you can edit the text directly as well if you want. > > > > But I was still referring to the other type of editor, which is the > > > > structured editor which is effectively more like a database entry than a > > > > text editor (or WP or DTP). > > > > > > <shrug> Point me at an example of the sort of thing you mean that I can > > > try myself, and I'll pass judgement. > > > > I believe oXygen <http://www.oxygenxml.com/> has an author mode, and I > > believe it also has a free version, or is at least free for 30 days. It > > also is fairly good in not splatting files all over your system and > > being entirely self contained. > > Hmm - looked at the Web page, no point me downloading it, there's no way > I could make any sense out of it if I did. It's not what I'd call a > text editor at all. I don't know what it is, I really don't - looks a > real mess. Its not the best layout but it is pretty good at what it does. Again though, it does enable you edit text. > > > For example, any old spreadsheet or database entry software has text > > > editing abilities - but you'd not call 'em text editors, would you? > > > > No, as their output is something other than text. > > Since their output is in fact plain text (in some cases, if that's what > you want) - erm, you're wrong. So now you are just arguing for the sake of it. The output of a spreadsheet by default is not text. The output of an xml / sgml editor is always text. -- Woody www.alienrat.com |