office revolution
I'm not really a rumor monger, but this one was too amazing to keep to myself.
First of all, I'm a software coder for a small company doing apps for University Libraries and other academic customers.
We use a mix of Linux and OS X and most people I deal with eventually find out I do my coding on OS X.
One of them let some news slip that she sort of regretted later but I think its amazing and shouldn't be kept secret.
Apple is working FULL-STEAM on an office suite. I know this is old news to most of you. But here's the catch: the apps are all being tested on Both Windows and OS X!
The design of the suite takes a lot from Adobe and Quark, rather than MS. The main basis of the suite is an ever growing cross-platform framework of utitilies, that any app in the suite can use. Plug-ins of all types can be written to extend the core engine, ala Adobe InDesign, or Quark Xtensions. Even third party apps can use them. Think web-core applied to business app functionality. Some of it was built on the old NeXT libraries but most had to be rewritten.
Even though this is top secret, enough developers are in the know that Open Office for Quartz is all but dead. The general idea I got from this is that this project is at full-tilt and Apple is serious about going head to head against Microsoft's main cash cow.
I'll try to get more news but I have a feeling my source has clammed up for now. The project is being shown to a very select FEW academic higher-ups though.
I, for one, am psyched.
First of all, I'm a software coder for a small company doing apps for University Libraries and other academic customers.
We use a mix of Linux and OS X and most people I deal with eventually find out I do my coding on OS X.
One of them let some news slip that she sort of regretted later but I think its amazing and shouldn't be kept secret.
Apple is working FULL-STEAM on an office suite. I know this is old news to most of you. But here's the catch: the apps are all being tested on Both Windows and OS X!
The design of the suite takes a lot from Adobe and Quark, rather than MS. The main basis of the suite is an ever growing cross-platform framework of utitilies, that any app in the suite can use. Plug-ins of all types can be written to extend the core engine, ala Adobe InDesign, or Quark Xtensions. Even third party apps can use them. Think web-core applied to business app functionality. Some of it was built on the old NeXT libraries but most had to be rewritten.
Even though this is top secret, enough developers are in the know that Open Office for Quartz is all but dead. The general idea I got from this is that this project is at full-tilt and Apple is serious about going head to head against Microsoft's main cash cow.
I'll try to get more news but I have a feeling my source has clammed up for now. The project is being shown to a very select FEW academic higher-ups though.
I, for one, am psyched.
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