Apple Acquires SchemaSoft? [Updated]

They've been paying DataViz over the years to provide conversion services for Appleworks and including it on and off with the OS's 3rd party application in the install on the machines restore disk.

Would be an interesting direction, and hopefully make iWork a stronger package.

Could be aquisition for improvement of iwork.

edit: not that iwork is bad, maybe a better spellcheck/grammarcheck as well as sheets, an excel type app.

This is a desperately needed acquisition. iWorks conversion is poor, at best.

Smart move by Apple. Very smart.

The most important thing SchemaSoft develop is in my opinion a developer library that other developers can use to read and write Microsoft OLE based file formats. See http://www.schemasoft.com/tools/structuredstorage.html

This has been used by Apple and Adobe amongst others.

OLE format files include those produced by Visio, MS Project, PowerPoint, etc.

It has been a great disappointment uptil now how stupid some Mac developers have been in this area. For example, 99% of Project type programs for the Mac cannot read and write MS Project .mpp format files. This is despite the fact the vast majority of PC users still use that format (rather than the newer XML format), and despite MANY requests from Mac users wanting compatibility with that format. Instead these foolish developers require Mac users to go through messy work arounds involving emailing or uploading files to be converted by a PC server. If you are working on a customer site (doing Project Management) then this is often unfeasible as many larger customers secure their networks so that unauthorised computers (i.e. your own laptop) cannot get Internet access.

Equally 100% of developers of Visio type applications for the Mac have made the same stupid mistake. Again the vast majority of PC users are using Visio use .vsd format files rather than XML format files.

While I can understand that if the SchemaSoft library did not exist third party developers might either not have the required information to do it themselves or the time and ability, this is obviously not true since the software already exists for Mac OS X. I don't believe cost is a justification either as I would pay more for a product that could read and write PC format files than for one that could not. Note: SchemaSoft even use Visio as an example!!!

Without TRUE file compatibility these Mac developers are significantly reducing their sales potential. For example my own company will not buy copies of this type of software without this functionality. Instead we are forced to use Virtual PC.

ProjectWizards see http://www.projectwizards.de/en/ are the only developers currently who have a MS Project compatible product (called Merlin) for the Mac which can read and write .mpp format files directly. We have therefore bought a copy of this program.


I have brought this library to the attention of the relevant developers such as Computer Systems Odessa (developers of ConceptDraw). We would potentially buy many copies IF it could directly read and write Visio .vsd files (it cannot). Computer Systems Odessa have also developed LeadingProject (an MS Project type program) and again they don't support proper file formats (only XML).

If Apple do buy SchemaSoft then potentially they could make this programming library available for free as part of XCode and therefore available to all Mac third party developers.

Third parties would then have no excuse for not providing full file compatibility.

ConceptDraw - Visio - .vsd support = no
LeadingProject - MS Project - .mpp support = no
Merlin - MS Project - .mpp support = yes
xTime - MS Project - .mpp support = no
AEC FastTrack Schedule - MS Project - .mpp support = no

Wether you love or despise Microsoft products, the hard reality is that the Office suite is the standard in office apps and if Apple makes their products more inter-operable with it there will be additional incentive for potential switchers to step into the lovely world of Mac.

Ironically, the best way to end Microsoft's stranglehold on Word, Excel etc may be to embrace it, not to offer a similar but incompatible product. If non Microsoft products such as Open Office and iWork can gain traction, Microsoft will find it harder and harder to charge for their products, as well as lessening its influence in keeping the Office Suite in a proprietary format.

Sure, iWork, etc. are good uses for this tech.

But what screamed at me is: Spotlight.

Acquiring this sort of talent would be invaluable in making Spotlight usable with even more file formats right out of the box -- without waiting for a reader plugin from Microsoft.

Hmm, I smell a free iWork for Mac & Windows in the future.

Apple doesn't need to compete with Windows - it needs to compete with Office - Microsoft's real lock-in/killer-app. That's what prevents switching.

That's alot to give away with no revenue stream to back it (ala iTunes) so consider this theory half-baked until there's some way to make second-order money on it. Third-order money hasn't motivated Apple to date.

Maybe.... they're going to open source it and contribute it to OpenOffice. Always in motion in the future.

This is interesting, I wonder what Apple is planning on doing with the existing employees. I don't think many of them would be willing to move to Silicon Valley - the company is big on employee growth and culture. I know the area they work in, and its a fab place to work, much better than the south bay area.

Hmm, I smell a free iWork for Mac & Windows in the future.

Apple doesn't need to compete with Windows - it needs to compete with Office - Microsoft's real lock-in/killer-app. That's what prevents switching.

Microsoft makes Office for Mac. That's not what prevents switching.

Microsoft makes Office for Mac. That's not what prevents switching.

I think what prevents switching is fear that there is no Office software suite for Mac, and the ignorant salesmen who project this image. Apple should emphasize that its own software is relatively Office-compliant (maybe not as much with Excel) and then remind customers that the Office suite IS available for mac.

Everyone always says that Macs seem so great BUT... (issue with cost or Microsoft compatibility) :rolleyes: They'll come around sooner or later