[CLUE-Tech] kword and rtf

[Jed S. Baer]

On Tue, 9 Jul 2002 23:47:02 -0600
Matt Gushee <mgushee at havenrock.com> wrote:

> Hah. Well, 'cross platform' isn't really the issue. The problem with RTF
> is that it's controlled by Microsoft, and they can and do change the
> specification when it suits them. Since RTF is text-based and the spec
> is published (though it may be hard to find), it's much easier to adapt
> to changes than in the case of MS Word, but it's still a moving target.
> Also, have you checked whether KWord claims to support all features of
> RTF?

Controlled by Micro$oft? Man, it's a really old and vague memory, and
Google isn't being helpful, but I have this recollection that RTF was
originally designed by/for the Department of the Navy. Yeah, I know, the
Navy has some other things, like DIF, and the DOD, I'm sure, has gobs of
document types/standards. Unfortunately, all but 2 pages found by Google
have "Microsoft RTF", or at least reference Micro$oft. I can't help but
think of how, when you look in the Windoze registry, you see things like
"Microsoft Hypertext Document" for extensions HTM and HTML. I wonder how
many people think Micro$oft invented that? But, anyway, I'm probably wrong
about RTF, but nonetheless I have this vague memory ...

http://www.bradley.co.uk/R.HTM#RTF (drat!)

jed
-- 
We're frogs who are getting boiled in a pot full of single-character
morphemes, and we don't notice. - Larry Wall; Perl6, Apocalypse 5