The Old Joel on Software Forum: Part 4 (of 5)

This is an easy one

Your about to puchase some software for editing text (company related). Let's say you may have to edit up to 300 documents.

Would you prefer a web based (HTML) editor, or one you install on your own machine with a proper GUI interface? Would you pay more for the GUI interface version?

Also, these text files will be edited by 5-100 of your co-workers (sometimes from locations far away from your own). Would you prefer the documents were stored on a server (IIS HTTP, stored in SQL) or on your hard drive/network share?

Just need some help for the design of some open source software :)

Nerdo
Monday, May 3, 2004

I prefer the desktop, because I need not be connected to work. I can copy the document down and perform my updates on the train heading into the office. However, you did not say what the documents were, so that may be different.

If the documents need to be updated by multiple people, then you should consider some type of collaboration software. At the very least, some type of check-in/out/versioning software to ensure everyone knows who changed what and what they changed. Cheapest? CVS.

If the documents are only relevant in the office, or if you can always be connected when reading them what about a Wiki? http://c2.com/cgi/wiki?WikiWikiWebFaq

MSHack
Monday, May 3, 2004

I think there's a million ways to do this effectively... personally, I'd setup an intranet and let each end user "check out" the file and edit it in whatever editor he preferred. Why would you reinvent the wheel here?

Brian
Monday, May 3, 2004

Desktop installation.

I hate web-based applications.

Aussie Chick
Tuesday, May 4, 2004

I hate editing text in HTML forms because you get a really basic editor. The thought of editing 300 documents with an <INPUT TYPE="text"> fills me with horror. Give me $EDITOR (=vim/emacs/UltraEdit/whatever) please!

Tom Payne
Tuesday, May 4, 2004

To even consider HTML for this is beyond me.

Just me (Sir to you)
Tuesday, May 4, 2004