j2ee and python and evil competitors

[Cameron Laird]

In article <dR%W8.2963$5i5.1235213 at news20.bellglobal.com>,
Steve Menard <steve.menard at polyester.com> wrote:
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>See, this is something I really don't understand. I will agree that PDF or
>html would have been a better choice, but not everyone can generate PDF ya
>know. With this kind of attitude, we'll forever be regarded as the
>extremists who won't listen to anything ....
>
>        Steve
>
>

I'll leave aside for the moment all questions about whether:
* distribution of information encoded in a .doc;
* declining to download .doc-s;
* refusal to agree to Microsoft EULAs; or
* other stances
are "extreme".

I'll make a couple of technical points, though:
* It is EXTREMELY rare that I receive a .doc whose
  content is not satisfactorily available through
  a simple strings(1) capture;
* ReportLabs represents a delightfully Pythonic
  way to manage PDF.  In fact, I'm working now on
  an article I think I'll entitle, "Everyone *can*
  generate PDF".
-- 

Cameron Laird <Cameron at Lairds.com>
Business:  http://www.Phaseit.net
Personal:  http://starbase.neosoft.com/~claird/home.html