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Sun Denies StarOffice on Mac OS X

Posted by pudge on from the eh-who-needs-it dept.

mattworld1 writes, "MacCentral is reporting that while development of OpenOffice for Mac OS X will continue, Sun is denying that a version of StarOffice is in the works. This is unfortunate, as it would be nice for Mac OS X users to have a good alternative to the expensive Microsoft Office." Apparently it's not all bad news, as VValdo writes, "The recent announcement of a collaboration from Apple/Sun on a Java-based version of StarOffice for Mac OS X shocked and angered many of the OpenOffice developers who had been left totally in the dark. After two days of intense programming on a proof of concept, they announced a first look at Open Office in Aqua." Neat!

6 of 238 comments (clear)

  1. There will be StarOffice... by thrillbert · · Score: 1, Troll

    It's just that it's going to come in 78 3 1/2 inch floppies.

    Of course, since Mac's do not come with floppies any more, this is going to be quite a challange to get it installed on a non-networked system. <snicker>

    ---
    After a number of decimal places, nobody gives a damn.

  2. Who is behind it? by sn00perz · · Score: 0, Troll

    Follow the $$ trail. Its in M$'s best intrestes to hamper development of Office alternatives.
    They have been unhappy about poor OfficeX sales which leads me to suspect they are pressuring Apple to stop cooperating with Sun developers.

    Just say 'NO' to intellectual property

    --

    Down with Crapitali$m. Anarchy NOW!
  3. I've got your StarOffice right here ... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll
    Dear Apple,

    I ama homosexual. I boughtan Apple computer because of its well earned reputation for being "the" gay computer. Since I have become an Apple owner, I have been exposed to a whole new world of gay friends. It is really a pleasure to meet and compute with other homos such as myself. I plan on using my new Apple computer as a way to entice and recruit young schoolboys into the homosexual lifestyle; it would be so helpful if you could produce more software which would appeal to young boys. Thanks in advance.

    with much gayness,

    Father Randy "Pudge" O'Day, S.J.

  4. Why don't you just get a REAL operating system... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

    ...instead of trying to trick developers into writing software for your obsolete OS?

    Windows has tons of Office suites. Although there is no need to use any of them since MS Office works perfectly for everything!

  5. Re:Java office suites by AJWM · · Score: 1, Troll
    Why would it be any better to try such a thing now?

    Well, here are a few reasons for starters:

    • Processors are an order or magnitude or two faster now than they were then.
    • "Hotspot" and similiar JIT compiler technology means JVMs run orders of magnitude faster even on the same processors.
    • Java itself has improved greatly from the, what, 1.0 or 1.1 days of Corel's venture?
    • And Java programmers are a lot more familiar with the technology these days -- I imagine Corel's Java coders probably weren't very far up the experience curve.
    • Then there's the whole J2EE web services thing, which might make a lot of sense for an organization that wants to maintain some sort of central control over its office documents, but that's a whole other issue.

    I'm not saying it necessarily makes sense even now to do a cross-language as well as a cross-platform port, just answering your question.

    --
    -- Alastair
  6. Re:Mac rumors by rjung2k · · Score: 1, Troll

    Apple is an interesting company, that does interesting things, led by an interesting CEO.

    If it wasn't for the illegal monopoly (and the ensuing fortune that came with it), nobody would give Bill Gates the time of day.

    --

    --R.J.
    Electric-Escape.net