[LINK] The Uncertain Future of OpenOffice.org

[Bernard]

The Uncertain Future of OpenOffice.org
Posted by CmdrTaco on Wednesday September 19, @11:29AM
from the nothing-is-for-certain dept.
/.
http://developers.slashdot.org/developers/07/09/19/1455240.shtml

eldavojohn writes

"What's the biggest threat to the success of OpenOffice.org? Is it 
Microsoft Office? Is it the simple fact that Dell doesn't offer it with 
computers? Not according to some participants in the 'open' source 
project itself, they say the biggest problem with OO.o is the fact that 
Sun codes, owns & makes all key decisions for the project when it should 
be more community oriented.

A professor who participates in the project itself said 'enough 
developers are frustrated by both the technical and the organizational 
infrastructure at OpenOffice.org' and cites this as 'a real problem that 
is weighing on the project.' Other members of the community agree like 
Michael Meeks who asked 'At what fraction of the community will Sun 
reconsider its demand for ownership of the entirety of OpenOffice.org?'

Hopefully with IBM's entrance into OO.o participation we will see the 
product become more community controlled & accessible.

Has anyone else experienced this when developing for OO.o or another 
'open' source project? Is it a good idea to criticize a company when 
they've put so much effort into a project that is technically open 
source and completely free? Is Sun trying to control OO.o like Java? Do 
they have good reasons or evil underlying intentions?"

-- 
 
Regards
brd

Bernard Robertson-Dunn
Sydney Australia
brd at iimetro.com.au