Report customization nightmare

[Derek Atkins]

Mike Leone <turgon at mike-leone.com> writes:

>> The problem with scheme is of course unfamiliarity working with
>> the"functional" languages as most of us learned "procedural" languages
>> first and it's a different way of thinking. Not that some of our more
>> common languages can't be used both ways. While learning C I was
>> challenged to rewrite one of my simple programs so that it would be pure
>> "function evaluation" instead of "procedure" and yes it can be done.
>
> The most important point is that requiring a "normal" end-user to
> learn an arcane programming language in order to get a customized
> report is really user-hostile, in my opinion. No, I don't have an
> alternate solution, but I do know that any of non-geek users who I
> might recommend GnuCash to, won't know how, nor will bother to learn,
> programming for just one application.

Opinions are in high supply around here.  Solutions, not so much.  We
have what we have, for better or for worse.  Until someone comes up with
a new solution, or offers to provide the effort to create a new
solution, we're kinda stuck with what we have.  We ARE making
incremental improvements (e-guile, webkit/css) but a full-on
report-system replacement is a large piece of work.  Are YOU going to do
it?

The point of GnuCash is to provide an 85% solution..  It's not going to
supply 100% of everything that 100% of the users need.  Indeed, no
application can.  However it can certainly supply most of the needs to
most of the users.

In terms of reports, I would ask why all these so many users want to
write custom reports?  What's wrong with the existing reports that
already exist?  Can they be extended to meet the needs of more people?
If so, great!  We gladly accept patches and distribute them.  If not,
well, maybe find a group of people with the similar problem and have
that group find someone to write the report they need.  I find it ...
unlikely.. that there is only one person that needs a particular "custom
report"

> Just my opinion.

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-derek

-- 
       Derek Atkins, SB '93 MIT EE, SM '95 MIT Media Laboratory
       Member, MIT Student Information Processing Board  (SIPB)
       URL: http://web.mit.edu/warlord/    PP-ASEL-IA     N1NWH
       warlord at MIT.EDU                        PGP key available