[libreoffice-users] Master Documents, Office Suites, and the Underwood

On 3/25/2014 6:24 AM, Tanstaafl wrote:
> But what if someone *wanted* the formatting to be controlled by the 
> sub document(s)?
[snip]
> Having the option one way or another (the current way as default makes 
> sense though) provides more control, no?

I suppose having options is generally a good thing, but I'd much rather 
create and change formatting in one master document than have to change 
and synchronize 20 or 30 subdocuments to make sure they all work 
together. Is it better to encourage people to learn better methods of 
working or to keep giving them the option of using older, less 
proficient, methods?

Just philosophizing for a second, I think one of the drawbacks of office 
suites in general is their attempt to be all things to all people. If 
you were raised on the typewriter model and don't want to learn a better 
way, you can apply direct formatting to each and every paragraph of each 
and every document as you type, without regard to styles. If you prefer 
styles and templates, you can take full advantage of them. As a result, 
most tasks can be performed in at least four or five ways -- i.e. 
keyboard shortcuts, menus (accessible through either the keyboard or 
mouse), toolbars, direct formatting, styles, etc.

But, by having so many options, people retain the option of never 
learning, never growing, into more proficient document creators. Having 
too many options keeps it easy to stagnate and continue to work harder.

I teach a technology for paralegals class at our local university, and I 
cringe when I get to the section on office suites. Following someone's 
advice (Tom, I think), I recently gave my students a six-page 
unformatted computer file along with a printed copy of the same 
document, fully formatted. I asked them to use whatever methods they 
normally use and reformat the computer file to make it look like the 
printed product. Using direct formatting, they each spent about 45 
minutes and ended up with a mess. I had one student declare that, in 
order to achieve the desired result, she would simply delete the text 
from the document and retype the whole thing, formatting as she typed. 
She had no clue even how to directly reformat existing text. I then 
demonstrated how I could reformat the entire document in 4 minutes using 
styles. Even so, the resistance to learning styles remains high. 
Perhaps, we could get folks past the Underwood model if office suites 
stopped offering that as a legitimate option for creating typeset 
documents. Instead, in order to placate those users who remain in the 
(early) 20th century, office suites still have to provide a typewriter 
style method of working. By retaining old methods to satisfy those who 
refuse to grow, we have poor Brian still trying to get people to stop 
thinking in terms of "line spacing" (good luck with that).

Of course, I realize that office suites can't be so elitist as to insist 
on one way of working. There are too many different methods of achieving 
results, and we have to accept people where they are. But, it is so sad 
to see people remain stuck in outdated technological methods simply 
because their computer programs continue to permit it.

Oh, well, enough of an early morning rant.

Virgil

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