Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!uakari.primate.wisc.edu!aplcen!aplcomm!capd.jhuapl.edu!waltrip From: waltrip@capd.jhuapl.edu Newsgroups: comp.sys.next Subject: Re: Spreadsheets Message-ID: <1991Apr14.154856.1@capd.jhuapl.edu> Date: 14 Apr 91 20:48:56 GMT References: <2473@fornax.UUCP> <1991Apr13.115926.4528@neon.Stanford.EDU> <8242@idunno.Princeton.EDU> Sender: news@aplcomm.JHUAPL.EDU Organization: CAPVAX, JHU/APL Lines: 41 In article <8242@idunno.Princeton.EDU>, sksircar@shade.Princeton.EDU (Subrata Sircar) writes: > zimmer@calvin.stanford.edu (Andrew Zimmerman) writes: [...] >> I have a lot of problems with Improv. >> 1. It lacks some graph types that many people want. > > Actually, no spreadsheet will suit everyone's graphing needs. [...] Isn't that what the NeXTstep "services" environment is intended for? Shouldn't Improv be done in such a way that anyone can provide custom graphics services for it? or so that Improv can offer spreadsheet "services" to other applications? > [...] > Secondly, compatability between platforms is highly overrated. Name me any > Mac software that was compatible with IBM when they started out. That may have been a matter of luck. It took Microsoft forever to come out with a usable Windows. Now you have Windows for Macs and Motif (with Windows look-and-feel) for competing workstations. And the Microsoft/DEC/Compaq/etc consortium in the wings. Getting by on your GUI is a lot tougher these days. > [...] > Thirdly, compatibility is on the other end of a balance from innovation. If > everything is backwards compatible, you can't ever make new strides. Well, I think we can say that backwards compatibility generally doesn't hurt...especially when done cleverly. NeXT has been rather clever. By using Mach/UNIX, they make it possible to port many UNIX apps easily and provide a variety of ways to provide a NeXTstep front end. The key is to carry innovation into the way you provide backwards compatibility. In addition, let's not forget that transitions are eased by SoftPC and compatibility is enhanced by tcp/ip and coXist (and mouse-X). c.f.waltrip Internet: Opinions expressed are my own.