[[AbiWord]] (Application)
What: (a) Create Newton-Plugins for multi-platform open source word processor. Or (b) port [[AbiWord]] to [[NewtonOS]].
Background: "[[AbiWord]] is unique among word processors in its drive to become a fully cross-platform word processor. Our source code is carefully written so that [[AbiWord]] will run on virtually any operating system with a minimum of time spent on porting. This combined with our support for internationalization (the ability to run [[AbiWord]] in many languages) gives [[AbiWord]] a massive potential user-base." (About AbiWord)
Benefit: "[[AbiWord]] is a cross-platform, open-source word-processor that reads and writes Word, [[OpenOffice]], Word Perfect, RTF, Palm and HTML documents" - and now (a) imagine teaching it the Newton-formats for Notes, books, paperbacks, etc. The Newton-plugins would give Newtonia immediate access to a modern multiplatform word processor which could work with any documents originating on the Newton. -- This idea ties in with the projects working on producing an environment that integrates NOS devices with modern desktops (see [DesktopConnectionLibrary and others).
Or (b) replace the commercial word processors for the Newton with modern [[AbiWord]], which would create a free and seamless productivity solution from Newton-to-desktop, while teaching the Newton Word and other formats: "The main [[AbiWord]] program is very small and requires very little resources to run. This allows [[AbiWord]] to be used on systems that are not considered "State of the Art" anymore, which comes all too quickly in the IT world. Our plugin system was designed to give [[AbiWord]] all the functionality you might expect from a modern Word Processor. A variety of plugins can be used to extend the number [[AbiWord]]'s functionality and range from Document Importers to a Thesaurus, Image Importers and a Text Summarizer." (AbiWord Tour)
Additional Data: [[AbiWord]] runs on Windows, plenty UNIX and Linux-flavors, plus native on [[MacOS]] X. There used to be a [[BeOS]] port. See http://www.abisource.com for details.
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