[mythtv-users] mythtv-users Digest, Vol 128, Issue 10

Karl Dietz dekarl at spaetfruehstuecken.org
Wed Nov 6 06:25:14 UTC 2013


On 06.11.2013 01:35, James M OConnell wrote:
>
> Hello;
>
> Thanks for your recent e-mail to me at JamesMOConnell at gmail.com.
>
> It appears you've sent a "Microsoft Office" Document -- either an Excel spreadsheet, or a Word Document.  This presents a small inconvenience to me: Microsoft charges hundreds of dollars for their "Office" software that reads and writes those documents -- and that's money I just don't have.
>
> You probably paid for your Office software when you bought your computer; it might even be a part of your computer's purchase price.
>
> Don't worry, though; I will be able to read or edit your document using another computer program: one that is fully compatible with Microsoft's "Office" programs, is free to use on PC's and Mac's, and uses world-wide standards for documents -- unlike Microsoft's 'proprietary formats' that keep changing every few years.
>
> Ever tried to open a 'Word' document you wrote 7 or 8 years ago?  Can't be done unless you get an update for your 'new' version of 'Word' from Microsoft -- just to read an older version of a Word Document.  Oh, the irony!  That's because 'Word' uses a changing 'proprietary format' under the control of a private company.
>
> There's an alternative:  'Open Document' formats used by industries and governments the world over.  Open formats that will continue to be used and exchanged with recipients and collaborators and business partners no matter where they are or what kind of computer they use.  Now, and in the future.  And without the pricey marketing hype from Microsoft and Madison Avenue.
>
> The US federal government uses these open formats as their new standards:  Not Microsoft Office documents, but "Open Document" documents.
>
> The most popular software that uses these open formats is called "LibreOffice".  It's a full-featured office suite with spreadsheets, presentations, databases ... and of course, even written documents and reports. It even makes PDF files without a separate plug-in.  Most importantly:  it's /completely/ compatible with the Microsoft Office documents you've already made and work with every day.
>
> It's free of charge, and has robust technical support the world over.
>
> You can get it here:  http://www.libreoffice.org
>
> Give it a try; there's nothing to lose, and everything to gain.  I promise you won't be sorry.
>
>
>
> Regards,
> -Jim
>
> PS:  This message was automatically sent by my Internet Service Providers' computer network.  They're a smaller provider, local to Northern California.  Good people with a fantastic customer service department staffed with local people, not outsourced to a call center overseas.  I can't recommend them highly enough:  Sonic.net (at http://www.sonic.net).  Check them out,too; you'll be pleasantly impressed and surprised.
> _______________________________________________
> mythtv-users mailing list
> mythtv-users at mythtv.org
> http://www.mythtv.org/mailman/listinfo/mythtv-users

Just some thought, automated mails to mailing lists are rarely a good
idea. Maybe your provider can suppress automatic mails sent in your name
by looking at the list-id header field to avoid shaming you
automatically.
Its even worse when its a reply to a digest because most readers will
know which mail the automated message is talking about.

list-id: Discussion about MythTV <mythtv-users.mythtv.org>
http://www.ietf.org/rfc/rfc2919.txt

Regards,
Karl


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