I have a dream...

[MikeCPA]

I have an idea for an end user application, for accounting and auditing workpapers, job management, basically for accountants and auditors, etc.

I think it would use writer, calc and base, at least, in an integrated manner, because these are the disciplines involved.
It would be patterned, in part, on an older application I've used for years. I believe that the OO suite has code programming capabilities, like VB, macros, scripting, etc, that would permit building an application. I fiddled with Paradox, FoxPro and Clipper years ago, but I'm not a developer, and I know all the programing tools have changed. From those days, I recall that runtime coding ran slow, and to run fast, you needed a compiler to create machine code, to execute faster.

Here are my immediate problems:
1. Whenever I look around OO places for developers, I find developers who develop OO, not developers who use OO to develop applications to sell. Are there any?
2. Perhaps i cannot find these OO application developers because it's not a good platform for development...true?
3. If such an application were developed using OO, I wonder if it could be used directly or "ported" over for use by MS Office users?
3a. Can MS Office users read and write OO files and programs?
4. Despite word processing, spreadsheets and databases being the natural building blocks for this application, might I be better off just using a normal development tool...VB, C++, and Java come to mind?
5. Is anyone aware of any commercial applications developed using OO?

Any comments/ideas appreciated!

Thanks
Mike

[Villeroy]

This is 2012. All accounting is done by machines.

[kingfisher]

The software formerly known as OpenOffice.org is now in the hands of the Apache Software Foundation (ASF) and known as Apache OpenOffice. As you may know, the ASF has a licence which permits commercial development such as you have in mind. IBM is collaborating on development of the software and will, I understand, continue to have its own version.

Perhaps your best bet is to subscribe to the developers' mailing list. Details of mailing lists are on this page.

[MikeCPA]

Thanks, kingfisher.

[MikeCPA]

The software formerly known as OpenOffice.org is now in the hands of the Apache Software Foundation (ASF) and known as Apache OpenOffice. As you may know, the ASF has a licence which permits commercial development such as you have in mind. IBM is collaborating on development of the software and will, I understand, continue to have its own version.

Perhaps your best bet is to subscribe to the developers' mailing list. Details of mailing lists are on this page.

I began using OO under Sun Microsystems, then when Oracle took over, I thought that was good news. But I don't know anything about ASF, unless that's the Apache that used to make free web server software, in which case, I've heard the name before, that's all. So I wonder if the transfer to ASF is good news or bad news...?

For example, how will Apache OO sustain itself without sales or licensing fees?

[kingfisher]

Yes, the ASF is the Apache which provides server software. It appears to be a substantial organisation.

[Hambright]

The software formerly known as OpenOffice.org is now in the hands of the Apache Software Foundation (ASF) and known as Apache OpenOffice. As you may know, the ASF has a licence which permits commercial development such as you have in mind. IBM is collaborating on development of the software and will, I understand, continue to have its own version.

Perhaps your best bet is to subscribe to the developers' mailing list. Details of mailing lists are on this page.

Yes The soft name is Outlook

[Villeroy]

When trolls mention a soft named "Outlook" they mean "Exchange" which is not an option unless your company runs entirely on Microsoft products.

[MikeCPA]

Oh, I thought he was referring to an economic forecast.....