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> as there would be a massive market for a DVCS for Office files Would there, though? I mean, we HN readers want that, but I don't see any evidence that the av
by smacktoward 6y ago
> as there would be a massive market for a DVCS for Office files
Would there, though? I mean, we HN readers want that, but I don't see any evidence that the average Office user is clamoring for it. Even comparatively crude systems like Track Changes aren't used in my experience as often as they could be, and those are a hundred times easier for non-technical people to wrap their minds around than a Git-like system would be.
I suspect that part of the reason this problem is so intractable is that it's really two problems. The first is actually tracking the changes to the underlying document, which, as you note, is hard enough by itself. But then on top of that is the second problem, which is that you'd also have to come up with an interface that could make the power of a Git-like system comprehensible to non-technical users. And you'd need to solve both problems to have a product that would actually be ready to take to market.
- j0057 6y agoPeople get that mailing revisions of documents back and forth feels rickety. In my immediate circle I noticed that people some mild amazement that geeks use Wiki-style collaboration environments instead of office suites.
- toyg 6y ago> I mean, we HN readers want that, but I don't see any evidence that the average Office user is clamoring for it. My current experience is that non-geeks have no idea that another way of life is even possible. You won't clamor for something you cannot even conceive. I bet that tons of orgs would rush to adopt a github-style workflow if MS made it available. After trying out the "Track changes" and collaborative modes people have mentioned here, I can see why people in my company don't use them - they are flaky and don't really enforce rights, they basically just nudge the user.