<div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,sans-serif">Hi Marc,<br><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,sans-serif">The data wont be stored in an sql database?<br>
<br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,sans-serif">Thanks<br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,sans-serif">Tim<br></div></div><div class="gmail_extra"><br><br><div class="gmail_quote">
On 18 January 2014 11:49, Marc Paré <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:marc@marcpare.com" target="_blank">marc@marcpare.com</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">
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<div>Hi everyone,<br>
<br>
Yes, I see that I perhaps had not made my point/comment completely
clear. I was speaking from the point of view of, if any specific
storage format were to be contemplated, that we at least look
towards one that had good and solid backing from an open source
driven organization (in my example, I used the OASIS group). But,
sure, we could also loop in any report file format(s) that were
contemplated as well. I am more concerned with any suggestion of
adopting a storage file format that is not backed by its
originating standardization group.<br>
<br>
Cheers,<br>
<br>
Marc<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
Le 2014-01-18 06:11, Tim Schofield a écrit :<br>
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<div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,sans-serif">I am probably being dumb here, but in the
context of an accounting system what do you mean by a standard
file format? Are we talking about reports? In something like
an office application an open standard document format is
obvious and critical. For an accounting system?<br>
<br>
</div>
<div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,sans-serif">I read this <a href="http://npoacct.sfconservancy.org/UseCases/StorageAPI/" target="_blank">http://npoacct.sfconservancy.org/UseCases/StorageAPI/</a>
and it seems somewhat naive from an accounting POV. It has a
simplistic view of what constitutes an accounting transaction
(the bulk of transactions on accounting systems will be
neither payments or receipts) and also from the need for a
standard API for double entry bookkeeping. I am not sure who
would use such a thing. I can't imagine a use case where you
would want the front end of one system to talk to the back end
of another, or am I missing something?<br>
<br>
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<div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:trebuchet ms,sans-serif">Thanks<br>
Tim<br>
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<div class="gmail_extra"><br>
<br>
<div class="gmail_quote">On 18 January 2014 10:07, Marc Paré <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:marc@marcpare.com" target="_blank">marc@marcpare.com</a>></span>
wrote:<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">Hi Daniel
et al,<br>
<br>
I am just catching up on the discussion. While I can't
really comment on the technical aspects of the API, I would
like to chime in on some of the points you raise.<br>
<br>
I also agree that we need to be sensitive from where
accountants are coming; they are being taught in schools
(whether high school/college/university levels) using tools
that are thought of as being the most appropriate for their
regions.<br>
<br>
Where I am hoping this project will go, is that somewhere
along our concerted efforts to build our NPO accounting
tool, that we will ultimately look at establishing a
standard format with an eye on having it adopted as a
universal file format for all others to adopt and help
maintain. Of course it would have to be an opensourced
format, for which, if we are to consider it, already limits
us -- XML, etc. ...<br>
<br>
At this point, now that the project has legs I also agree
with Daniel that we should try to interest some
international association that could be interested in
maintaining the standard as an open standard as well as
assure longevity to the format; or at least, that is what
Daniel is suggesting. I for one put a lot of stock in the
OASIS and its series of opendocument formats. As OASIS has
support from many large opensource and NPO's, to me, would
prove to our advantage to try to interest them in this
particular project to see if they would be interested in
helping document and adopt whichever format we decide on
standardizing. If this were possible, we would a solid file
format base to work from, and, protection from the OASIS
group of the longevity of the file format.<br>
<br>
In short, I believe that at this point, we should be
considering the assurance of the protection, longevity,
standardization of whichever file format this project will
adopt. Also consider if, whoever will champion this file
format will have enough resources and industry partners to
defend the format from any type of patent action assault.
IMO, if we were to partner up with a group that specializes
in opensource file formats such as the OASIS group, then,
the file format will gain help from a group that is
supported by many opensource and industry leaders, and also
a group renowned for meticulous documentation of formats
with the input of its stakeholder partners. Partnering with
such groups will make for a more stable and dependable file
format that could evolve in a more concerted effort by all
of its stakeholders.<br>
<br>
Cheers,<br>
<br>
Marc<br>
<br>
[Disclaimer: I am part of the LibreOffice project --
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<pre cols="72">--
Marc Paré
<a href="mailto:Marc@MarcPare.com" target="_blank">Marc@MarcPare.com</a>
<a href="http://www.parEntreprise.com" target="_blank">http://www.parEntreprise.com</a>
parEntreprise.com Supports OpenDocument Formats (ODF)
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