Re: [Fsfe-uk] An ignorant question?

[Ramanan Selvaratnam]

> Saying that SVG files animated using javascript is a replacement for flash
> is missing the point entirely. Unless the person has a lot of spare time on
> their hands, how are they supposed to make the SVG file, and animate it?
Many emerging vector editors save in SVG. Having the capability to edit 
a text based file is great IMHO.

> They don't want a programming environment that can do animations (you may as
> well tell them to write their animations in C). They want to make
> animations.
Well, if you tell a Flash animator that s/he is in effect feeding 
parameters to mathematical equations they might get put off.
Likewise when the emerging vector editors that can save in SVG are being 
used we should learn from the way Flash is marketed and hide 'techspeak'.

> It's like when I say "I need a database front end to replace access" and
> people tell me to use MySQL. MySQL is useless as a replacement to access. 
I am sorry...This is a very absurd comparision!
MySQL is a very fast Relational Database Management System. It's 
functionalities are fast catching up and threatening the major players 
like Oracle, MSSQL etc. in the RDBMS market.

If you want to comparision with MSAccess there are equivalent (probably 
better) solutios in Staroffice / Open Office.

If you need a front end for MySQL there are few PHP based web 
applications plus some other emerging ones on places like Freshmeat.

If you want such a frontend within an Office software environment then 
some free software tinkering (because we are free to do it) will lead to 
a combination like this...
<http://www.linuxworld.com/2003/0217.barr.html>

OpenOffice does not only author Flash (as I learnt yesterday here :-).

> It
> does a tiny subset of the functions of Access - storing and retrieving data
> in tables (and it does it arguably less well - no sub selects etc.). When
> people need a replacement for Access, they need a front end.
I do not understand how MS Access can be better in anyway ... I think 
when you cannot use Access anymore you move on to MSSQL (which is full 
of security holes) because you are locked in a very bad development model.