Fwd: TextMaker: Should we support FreeBSD at all?

[Jonathan]

Hi:

 I originally ran TextMaker, in FreeBSD, using Linux compat mode. A while back 
this company asked me if I would like a port of their word processor to 
FreeBSD, to which I said yes. They have sent me this questionnaire and I am 
forwarding it on to Advocacy. Some of the questions are not relevant, however 
the ones that pertain to where they can post additional queries or whether it 
is desirable to even support FreeBSD is something that more experienced 
people might want to comment on. I am a FreeBSD newbie.
 I would say that TextMaker compares well with Abiword 2 and OpenOffice. The 
install I have here of TextMaker is not as fast as Abiword 2 nor OpenOffice.  
That being said it has a very nice GUI. OpenOffice seems to do a better job 
of importing MS *.doc's.  TextMaker does have good tables and it's hardcopies 
are quite good. However, IMHO Abiword will likely turn out to be a very good 
Word Processor, if not the one most widely used. Nevertheless I do also want 
commercial companies to port their software to FreeBSD. This enhances the 
value of FreeBSD and this is the reason why I have forwarded this e-mail to 
this list. 

----------  Forwarded Message  ----------

Subject: TextMaker for FreeBSD Available Now
Date: Sunday 05 October 2003 12:46 pm
From: "SoftMaker Software GmbH" <news at softmaker.de>
To: "Jonathan Drews" <j.e.drews at att.net>

Jonathan Drews
j.e.drews at att.net
Customer number: XXXXXXX


Dear valued SoftMaker customer:

You have purchased TextMaker for Linux.

We have just completed a port of TextMaker to the FreeBSD
operating system and are making this available as a free
download to you.

TextMaker for FreeBSD is identical feature-wise to revision
392 of TextMaker for Linux and supports all x86-based
FreeBSD systems starting with FreeBSD 4.8. (We simply haven't
tested under older FreeBSD builds).

Get the FreeBSD installation archive here:

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

(Please keep this URL confidential.)
NOTE: Please do not pass along this installation file or
pointers to it. You receive it only because you are a paying
customer. We'll have free trial versions later.

--------------------------------------------------------------
Should we support FreeBSD at all? Speak up now!
--------------------------------------------------------------

We have not made a final decision whether to support FreeBSD
at all and whether to port more applications like PlanMaker
to FreeBSD.

Speak up now! If you are a FreeBSD user and want to see our
software for FreeBSD, help us make a business case for it
by answering the following questions:

1. Should we support FreeBSD at all?

2. Does TextMaker for FreeBSD work without flaws on your
FreeBSD system? (if not, please file bug reports to
beta at softmaker.de)

3. Which printed magazines do you read that cover FreeBSD?

4. Which BSD-specific web sites do you visit?

5. How can we reach FreeBSD users? How can we ensure that
more FreeBSD users learn about our software?

6. On which Unix-like operating systems would you like to
see TextMaker, PlanMaker and our future office suite software?

Send your replies to info at softmaker.de (or simply answer this
e-mail and insert your comments).

We want to hear your opinion! You can participate in
deciding about the future directions of our software.




Best regards,

SoftMaker Software GmbH

-------------------------------------------------------

-- 
		Kind regards,
		Jonathan