OpenOffice.org 3.3.0 final released (The H)

Posted Jan 28, 2011 20:09 UTC (Fri) by MattPerry (guest, #46341)
In reply to: OpenOffice.org 3.3.0 final released (The H) by Trelane
Parent article: OpenOffice.org 3.3.0 final released (The H)

> There are definite negative connotations, though. Particularly with the
> "same codebase" assertion.

No there are not. It's not the "same codebase" as you incorrectly quoted, but it is the "same basic codebase" is the original posted stated. There's not a lot of difference between LibreOffice and OpenOffice at this juncture. They're probably 90% identical. LibreOffice has done some cleanup and added a handful of new features, but it hasn't diverged significantly from OpenOffice yet. There's nothing negative about that. It's just a fact.

To steal ones thunder means to "to do something that takes attention away from what someone else has done."[1] That's exactly what has happened. LibreOffice has gained a lot of positive press since it was announced. Then it releases its stable version a day ahead of OpenOffice's latest version. That has definitely stolen OpenOffice's thunder. There's barely any news articles about the OpenOffice release. The media seems largely indifferent, probably because they just reported on the nearly identical LibreOffice the day before. I suspect that OpenOffice's relevance will diminish rapidly over the next six to nine months.

[1] http://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/steal+thunder

OpenOffice.org 3.3.0 final released (The H)

Posted Jan 28, 2011 21:59 UTC (Fri) by Trelane (subscriber, #56877) [Link] (2 responses)

> It's not the "same codebase" as you incorrectly quoted, but it is the "same basic codebase" is the original posted stated.

Yeah, it was a loose quoting. Perhaps it is perhaps it isn't.

> They're probably 90% identical.

(citation needed)

> LibreOffice has done some cleanup and added a handful of new features, but it hasn't diverged significantly from OpenOffice yet.

Well, concrete data that's readily available is the feature list linked below. By my quick, crappy count (I'm in a hurry but I tried to benefit OOo over LO) I count 31 starred features vs 60 non-starred.

> To steal ones thunder means to "to do something that takes attention away from what someone else has done."

And "to lessen someone's force or authority." (the meaning you didn't choose to quote).

Other definitions include
> Someone 'steals your thunder' when they use your ideas or inventions to their own advantage.
http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/steal-ones-thunder.html

> To do or say something, intentionally or not, that another person has planned to say or do.
http://www.sky-net-eye.com/eng/english/idioms/american/i_...

> to grab attention from another especially by anticipating an idea, plan, or presentation; also : to claim credit for another's idea
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/steal+one%27s+t...

Seems to be at most ambiguous and context-dependent. Care to call it even?

OpenOffice.org 3.3.0 final released (The H)

Posted Jan 28, 2011 22:58 UTC (Fri) by MattPerry (guest, #46341) [Link]

>> They're probably 90% identical.

>(citation needed)

I don't have one as it was just a guess based on things I have read about current LO development and status. There can't be that many changes that go into it in such a short period of time. Even the developers like Michael Meeks were saying they were concentrating on merging go-oo and cleaning up the codebase so it's easier to hack on.

> Well, concrete data that's readily available is the feature list linked
> below. By my quick, crappy count (I'm in a hurry but I tried to benefit
> OOo over LO) I count 31 starred features vs 60 non-starred.

Ah, I think you misunderstood me. My "90% similar" guess was based upon all of the code, not new features. Both OO and LO still share all of the other features that aren't new.

> And "to lessen someone's force or authority." (the meaning you didn't choose to quote).

Because it wasn't the appropriate usage for the context. There is no authority relationship between OO and LO. The example sentences for both definitions demonstrate the difference.

> Seems to be at most ambiguous and context-dependent. Care to call it even?

Yes, just like all language. And we're not in a competition. There's nothing to call even.

OpenOffice.org 3.3.0 final released (The H)

Posted Jan 29, 2011 21:34 UTC (Sat) by spaetz (guest, #32870) [Link]

> They're probably 90% identical.

(citation needed)

"They are probably more than 90% identical"
- spaetz

Here is the citation you want from someone that has actually looked at the codebase.