[OT] embedded objects

[Mark R. Hilton]

On Sat, 05 Mar 2005 12:00:30 -0800 (PST) Karl Kuehn 
<larkost at softhome.net> wrote:
> Subject: Re: {[OT] embedded objects
> 
> On Mar 4, 2005, at 3:25 PM, Tom Ritch wrote:
> 
>>  The LinkBack project should enable a broad range of Cocoa developers 
>>  to contribute to one another's efforts.  As good as that is, a truly 
>>  exciting thought is that the collaborations could go deeper.  Imagine 
>>  OmniWeb documents using Nisus' Unicode-savvy text engine and 
>>  Blacksmith's graphics, Nisus documents incorporating Blacksmith's 
>>  graphics capabilities and Omni's expertise for Nisus' Save as HTML, 
>>  Blacksmith using Nisus' text engine, etc.  This speculation may be a 
>>  little wild-eyed, but maybe not.  I guess we'll see over the next year 
>>  or so.
> 
> 	Umm... I think you are confusing this with OpenDoc. If the application 
> cannot already take the objects as a "paste" object, then this does not 
> change that at all. This just allows the pasted object to either be 
> sent back to be edited in the original program or allows for it to be 
> periodically updated. You can do interesting thing by pushing PDF data, 
> but the receiving program has to already support that.
> 	You are envisioning a new version of OpenDoc, and this is nothing like 
> that.
> 
I looked up the reference and was absolutely delighted with what I read 
about LinkBack, Omni, Nisus and Blacksmith. While LinkBack may not be 
OpenDoc, what it does do for the moment--particularly in my usage where 
NWE, OO3 and OG3Pro are the apps I use all the time together with 
Keynote 1 (for the moment, till I can afford to upgrade) and InDesign 
(that is apart from OW!!)--will be really helpful. But I agree with Tom 
Ritch that the collaboration between Nisus and OmniGroup is a truly 
exciting thought. In the past, I wished that OmniGroup would produce a 
word processor, but as NWE matured, that became less potent. However, 
two such brilliant companies co-operating can only be good. And what is 
to say that LinkBack will be the only fruit ... I am sure if they 
wished to develop a more OpenDoc type environment between their apps 
and it were possible, then they could do so and it would be much 
appreciated.

So that just leaves the Cocoa spreadsheet that handles Chinese (Mesa 
looks good, but no Chinese!) Maybe they should be brought in on the 
LinkBack project ... would fit well with Chartsmith, which I have just 
downloaded to see what it is like (I don't currently need charting!)

Incidentally, the Nisus spokesperson on LinkBack is none other than 
Charles Jolley, whose Okito Composer formed the basis for NWE! I was 
using that while waiting for Nisus to come up with something, and then 
they merged!

Mark

PS	Now if Apple for Keynote and Pages, Adobe to link in Version Cue and 
the CS apps, and Lemke Software for Graphic Converter also came in ... 
<sigh!>