Re: [PROPOSAL][API][WINDOWS]Whether Common Spelling API can be implemented

[Alexey Zhuravliov <al...@voliacable.com>]

Hello Howard,

Monday, May 30, 2016, 11:26:54 PM, you wrote:

HMaCB> I tend to agree, but wish to add a few  comments.
HMaCB> I went to Source Forge and noticed there were  a lot a spell
HMaCB> checkers out there, including some that want to be an  API/ 
HMaCB> There is no need to compete with them, but  cooperation would be a good idea.
HMaCB> If anyone wishes to, please look at them and see if any might
HMaCB> be a good replacement to what we have.

Is  there  still  anybody  wishing to examine those spell checkers and
pick out some that may by of use for AOO?

HMaCB> Being able to access the source code night  also be a boon. 
HMaCB> The following should be part of out  requirements: 
HMaCB>   Able to adjust to multiple languages   Able to add
HMaCB> individual files for words the    users want to add to the
HMaCB> dictionary. My thinking if multiple people are using    the
HMaCB> same computer, each person should have their own override file
HMaCB> (in    user/AppData/Local/?).   Give reasonable suggestions for
HMaCB> misspelled    words. This may include Keyboard recognition for
HMaCB> typo errors. (Like a Russian    Keyboard).

HMaCB> _____________________________________________________________________________________________
HMaCB> I have examined some of the materials  available for the CSAPI.

HMaCB> Here are my initial observations:

HMaCB> 1. The  CSAPI is closely-held by Microsoft.  It is evidently
HMaCB> not part of their Open  Specifications set.

HMaCB> 2. Apparently a license agreement is required in  order to
HMaCB> have the necessary materials and also learn of any
HMaCB> maintenance/change  to the API over time.

HMaCB> 3. The implementation is via a DLL that can be  registered on
HMaCB> Microsoft Windows and thereby relied upon by Microsoft Office 
HMaCB> products that will use the CSAPI to access a spell-checker for a given  language.

HMaCB> CONCLUSION

HMaCB> To provide implementations of such DLLs at  Apache OpenOffice,
HMaCB> these would require a development offered as open source  under
HMaCB> the Apache License. This would, by the way, probably impair the
HMaCB> use of  spelling lexicons that are provided under incompatible
HMaCB> licenses and probably  unwelcome at Microsoft.

HMaCB> It seems to me that the closely-held nature of  the CSAPI and
HMaCB> requirement for license agreements is completely out of scope
HMaCB> for  Apache OpenOffice and not compatible with policies of the
HMaCB> Apache Software  Foundation.  This is simply a road we cannot go down.

HMaCB> I  suggest that we not go any farther investigating this
HMaCB> proposal unless those  encumbrances disappear.

HMaCB> - Dennis

HMaCB> PS: A third party could engage  with Microsoft and supply a
HMaCB> CSAPI-accepting implementation.  That might  employ the same
HMaCB> tools that AOO employs for processing supplied lexicons.   The
HMaCB> third party would have to navigate the licenses on such
HMaCB> lexicons as well and  ensure that this does not introduce any
HMaCB> licensing condition that is unacceptable  to Microsoft.  The
HMaCB> independent third party also might not be so opposed to 
HMaCB> empowering the use of CSAPI-delivered spelling checkers by
HMaCB> Microsoft products as  I imagine the contributors of lexicons to AOO might be.

>> >> DEH>> Please provide more information about the Common  Spelling API
>> 
>> ROF> Unless this does something dramatically  different and improved
>> ROF> from the existing spelling system, the  English dictionary of
>> ROF> which is very well serviced by Marcus, I  suggest that, on the "If
>> ROF> it's not broke don't fix it" principle  we should leave the spelling
>> system alone.
>> 
>> This   could  be  new  and useful feature when other programs could  use
>> AOO's  spell  checking  engine. If MS's API can't be  implemented maybe
>> AOO developers can create a new interface.
>>  
>> >> >>> Can  Common Spelling API (which was in MS  Office up to version
>> 2000 as
>> >> >>> far   as  I know) be implemented in AOO on Windows.

-- 
Best regards,
Alexey Zhuravliov                            mailto:alexzhyr@voliacable.com


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