[scribus] off list Re: ! ;-)

[John Beardmore]

joseph harris wrote:
> From: "John Beardmore"
>> joseph harris wrote:

>>> Users of DTP vary trememdously because the term includes everything 
>>> that may be prepared on a computer, printed out and distributed - 
>>> whether the circulation is one, one million or more.
>>
>> Hmmm. I think that isn't a common interpretation.
>>
>> Remember the adage that DTP != WP.
> 
> And that there was a lot of 'can do DTP' in some WP selling. Whether it 
> should have been is another issue. The fact is that DTP is a widely used 
> term now.

Is it ?  Perhaps. Maybe we should be talking about 'page layout' as 
opposed to WP.


> DT now includes portable computers for example, which are very 
> powerful machines often.

Is that a hair worth splitting ?


> P is interpretable across a wide range of 
> activities.

Indeed.


>>> Non-technical and not wanting to learn much to be able to use the 
>>> program. Quark itself has had to do some dumbing down to meet the 
>>> competition. A penalty of the commercial marketplace.
>>
>> Only if it reduced functionality. Did it ?
> 
> There is always development of programs so it is more now an issue of 
> 'what might have been there' and to what extent has simpler operation 
> reduced or contained flexibility. Assuming by dumbing down we mean 
> easier operation at a price of some choices.

I'm not sure we should assume that.


>>> As you are really saying scribus is not in competition with these, 
>>> nor should it be. But that is where the big numbers are.
>>
>> I wouldn't say it's not in competition with them. I've given up 
>> spending money on Adobe because they didn't fix show stopping bugs and 
>> charge an arm and a leg for upgrades, and scribus is more cost effective.
> 
> I was thinking in marketing terms; at current market shares Scribus is 
> an alternative, but not in any serious ways a competitor.

If I stop spending money with Adobe, which I have, it is reducing their 
turnover and profit. At a wild guess their accountants will see OSS as 
competition.


> The failures 
> on bugs may indicate how competition can both drive to new ideas, but 
> also reduce the sizes of technical teams.

On the other hand, having no competition gives no incentive to have 
development teams.


Cheers, J/.
-- 
John Beardmore, MSc EDM (Open), B.A. Chem (Oxon), CMIOSH, AIEMA, MEI
Managing Director, T4 Sustainability Limited. http://www.T4sLtd.co.uk/
Carbon Trust Consultant: Energy Audit, Carbon Footprint, Design Advice
Energy Efficiency Accreditation Scheme, (EEAS), Registered Assessor
Phone: 0845 4561332   Mobile: 07785 563116   Skype: t4sustainability