Ubuntu

Unsatisfactory Master Document Program

Asked by Dave Allen

I am struggling to create a master document, with some success, but a lot of trial and error. The problems are insufficient and incomplete documentation, and unreliable code (no, not bugs, but quirks in the actions, and disagreement with the manual - OOo ch. 13, and the styles and the templates docs). Yes, Windows' one is no better; the Word Perfect one was more usable, but has faded away.
  The Linux setup is surely the ideal one in which to create a *good*, well designed and well coded master document system. Can some continuous effort be put into such a project within Linux? Surely the world is full of thesis writers, authors of all sorts, manual writes, etc, all of whom need a comprehensive, working, and reliable system, but the commercial software houses don't see it as profitable (it will take a LOT of work), and would probably proiduce another kludge anyway.
  Rant over. If someone would head such a group,. I would be delighted to assist (experienced as program tester and document writer,as well as manager, but now beyond programming). It is a challenge, but one well worth taking on, with the current horrible state of the available programs. How about it?
  P.S. I put something like this somewhere about a week ago, but I've lost it. If anyone wants to discuss with me, use <email address hidden>, (NO explanations as to how wonderful existing stuff is, how impossible the job is, how daft I am, etc. please.) I'll note where I put this, and keep an eye on it.

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Simos Xenitellis 
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Simos Xenitellis  (simosx) said : 		#1

I am not sure if you are considering to start a new project on creating master documents.

It would make sense to go through OOo and find as much as possible on using master documents. A google search on "openoffice master document" brings up many resources.
What can be achieved easily is to examine the usability process of using master documents, and filing issue reports to make the system better.
Apart from OOo Ch 13 there is a standalone document on master documents (it comes as No 6 in the search results). You can check in the OOo documentation project if Ch 13 needs help to expand, and if you can, you can try to contribute.

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Dave Allen (davidallen131) said : 		#2

To Simos Xenitellis,

   Thank you for your response. I had in mind a
long-term rewrite of the manual, and a major revision
of the code. My experience (27 yrs as an IBM system
programmer) is that a series of 'improvements'
gradually confuses the code even more. A well planned
and specified systematic series of upgrades is a
better bet, depending on how modular the code is in
the first place.
  My thought is that there are hundreds of people who
could make good use of a master docs. system, if only
there was one whose basics could be learned quickly,
and whose further facilities did actually work
properly and conveniently when you needed them. I
don't know whether this is a suitable kind of project
for the Ubuntu experts (or Canonical?), but it would
be a major contribution to the utility of computers -
and Ubuntu - if it were to happen.
  I'm well past programming, but I can write
documents, such a specs., manuals, proposals etc. if
that would help. Or whatever else might be useful.
  How about it?

 In reply to:

> Your question #13148 on Ubuntu changed:
> https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+question/13148
> I am not sure if you are considering to start a new
> project on creating master documents. . . .

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Best Simos Xenitellis  (simosx) said : 		#3

My personal opinion is that if you want to make a change in this part of OpenOffice.org, you would need to spend some time in understanding the existing functionality. That is, going into as much detail as possible. In this process, you can update the existing guide. This is important so that you can give faith to the developers that you are dedicated in this. Personally, I do not consider myself expert in this and I do not have experience with other such systems. Thus, there is little I can say about it.

I would say that making also a public review of the existing master document functionality in OOo would be important. You can put the review online, then check to see the feedback that you receive.
For example, see "Word 2007 Vs. Open Office 2.3 Writer"
http://linux.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=07/09/11/2049204
which includes a limited comparison of the master document functionality.

You can make a spec in Launchpad on this. However, you will have to interface with the OOo developer community, including:
http://documentation.openoffice.org/

Current issues (bugs) in OpenOffice (search for master document-related):
http://qa.openoffice.org/

OOo Forums (user forums of OOo; here you could get support/ask feedback if master documents are ok, not ok, etc):
http://www.oooforum.org/

I am not sure if this is of similar interest; this is the mailing lists for the standardisation of the ODF document format,
http://www.oasis-open.org/committees/tc_home.php?wg_abbrev=office#feedback

I hope this helps.

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Dave Allen (davidallen131) said : 		#4

  Thanks very much for all of this. I'll survey the sources, and see what I think. My feeling is that my next move should be to write some sample stuff, and publish on Launchpad for comment. It will be slow work, but I feel strongly that OOo deserves it, and needs it for its future wider acceptance. Watch this user id!
    Any comment from any of the long list of subscribers to the question??