What is Nisus thinking about facilities offered by Linkback

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greenmorpher
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What is Nisus thinking about facilities offered by Linkback

Post by greenmorpher »

I see posts from time to time seeking features for NWPro, particularly graphics related features, which I suspect the Nisus people would hope would be solved by the use of other programs plus Linkback.

For example, I see a question posted today about provision of the "text box" facility which MS Word has. Others have raised the question of the provision of a drawing layer as NW Classic has.

I can see an immediate solution for most of these -- do the graphics bit in a Linkback-enabled graphics program then plug it into NW as a graphic using Linkback.

The alternative, building that capability into NWPro, is the road to bloat.

However, I don't think I have seen a Nisus person suggest as a solution buying another program and using Linkback, or state clearly the direction in which it is going in respect of Linkback and features in NWPro.

* Does Solana Beach really want to avoid bloat of its own program by developing it in certain ways only and encouraging users to make it the centrepiece of a suite of Linkback-enabled programs?

* If so, what about clarifying that so the way ahead is clear for users?

* If so, what about pointing users on this forum in the appropriate direction to meet their needs by using other programs with Linkback to supplement NW?

* If so, what about some cooperative marketing with Linkback partners to sell bundled applications at advantageous terms?

* IF NOT -- why bother with Linkback at all?

Cheers, Geoff

Geoffrey Heard, Business Writer & Publisher

"Type & Layout: Are you communicating or just making pretty shapes" -- Revealed! The secrets of how you can use type and layout to turbocharge your messages in print. See the book at http://www.worsleypress.com
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greenmorpher
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Post by greenmorpher »

I should add that I have a lively appreciation of the fact that adding features will not only bloat the application, it must necessarily bloat the price. None of us should expect a raft of new features to be added without cost. None of us should think we can get an MS Word feature set without an MS Word price (or something moving in that direction).

Maybe every new feature request should be accompanied by a notion of how much extra the user requesting the feature would be willing to pay for the program with the feature included. Then other users could signify their agreement or disagreement. :D

That might give the Solanums a bit more indication than they have at present about what we would be prepared to pay for the feature set we request/demand.

Cheers, Geoff

Geoffrey Heard, Business Writer & Publisher

"Type & Layout: Are you communicating or just making pretty shapes" -- Revealed! The secrets of how you can use type and layout to turbocharge your messages in print. See the book at http://www.worsleypress.com
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greenmorpher
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Post by greenmorpher »

I've just looked at the Nisus site's LinkBack page. It needs updating rather urgently -- to include NWPro for starters!

There is also a need to get the other users of LinkBank to be more active on the issue. I just looked at Lineform -- they do make a feature of LinkBack ... but don't mention Nisus Writer!

I couldn't find a reference to LinkBack on the EazyDraw site so if it is there, it can't be too high profile (or I am even more blind than I think).

No question the Solanums have been very, very busy -- but long term, this seems to me to be very important.

Cheers, Geoff

Geoffrey Heard, Business Writer & Publisher

"Type & Layout: Are you communicating or just making pretty shapes" -- Revealed! The secrets of how you can use type and layout to turbocharge your messages in print. See the book at http://www.worsleypress.com
MacSailor
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Post by MacSailor »

I agree. LinkBack should be emphasize even more now when NWP is released. I just figured out that LaTeXiT have been LinkBack enabled. That's great news.

I aslo agree that the LinkBack website has to be updated and that asap.
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TommyW
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Post by TommyW »

Linkback works flawlessly with OmniGraffle Pro and drawings in NWPro.

I'm thrilled to have it.[/url]
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Elbrecht
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Post by Elbrecht »

Well -

it is actually difficult to know about LinkBack even from the very Nisus site - I can't seem to find any open link to the project, besides diggin' Forum, Blogs or News archives...

So who's to know?

HE
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TommyW
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Post by TommyW »

There's a nice simple video of the use of Linkback on FlyingMeat's site shown using the wonderful VoodooPad. It's different software but the essentials are the same, and newcomers to Linkback might be struck by how simple it is in use.

http://www.flyingmeat.com/voodoopad/images/linkback.mov
gemboy27
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Post by gemboy27 »

website:
http://www.linkbackproject.org/


Tutorial:
http://www.macdevcenter.com/pub/a/mac/2 ... kback.html

That said

if I want to make Sketch+ work with NW-P, do I just change Sketch+ or do I have to do a change to both??

I have been trying to figure it out...but I am not getting it...
I have never let my schooling interfere with my education/Mark Twain (1835-1910)
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martin
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Post by martin »

gemboy27 wrote:if I want to make Sketch+ work with NW-P, do I just change Sketch+ or do I have to do a change to both??
You should only modify Sketch, NWP is already LinkBack aware and will happily host LinkBack content as is.
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Hamid
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Not LinkBack savvy

Post by Hamid »

gemboy27 wrote:...I want to make Sketch+ work with NW-P...
Sketch+ is not LinkBack savvy AFAICT. For LinkBack to work with NWP, the other app has be LinkBack aware as well.
gemboy27
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Re: Not LinkBack savvy

Post by gemboy27 »

Hamid wrote:
gemboy27 wrote:...I want to make Sketch+ work with NW-P...
Sketch+ is not LinkBack savvy AFAICT. For LinkBack to work with NWP, the other app has be LinkBack aware as well.
can I make it SAVVY?, or is it different than play ol' Sketch
I have never let my schooling interfere with my education/Mark Twain (1835-1910)
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Hamid
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Sketch+

Post by Hamid »

A Sketch+ document can be either 'Apple Sketch Graphic Format' (sketch) or 'Scalable Vector Graphic Format' (SVG). These are the two formats that Sketch+ creates and edits. SVG documents can be viewed in a Web browser, but to view sketch or SVG documents in other apps, you have to do 'Save a Copy As' of them, which gives a choice of two more formats: TIFF and PDF. TIFF and PDF can be viewed in Preview, and PDF can be viewed in Acrobat Reader as well. Any changes you make to the drawing data must be done in a Sketch+ document and then save sketch and SGV files or do 'Save a Copy As' to replace TIFF, PDF. You can use these documents in NWP, but there won't be auto update when you edit drawing data in Sketch+.
gemboy27
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I'm dense

Post by gemboy27 »

How is that different than LiveSketch, which does linkback
I have never let my schooling interfere with my education/Mark Twain (1835-1910)
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