Reports: Include second column for previous period

[Wm]

Sun, 8 Mar 2015 09:06:26 <20150308090626.6366b9e5 at billiau.net>  Liz 
<edodd at billiau.net>

>On Sat, 7 Mar 2015 09:43:06 -0800 (PST)
>YeOldHinnerk <HRamthun at gmx.de> wrote:
>
>> Let me put it another way: If GnuCash was only about storing data,
>> why is it not simply a database? It isn't, because it is not only
>> about storing data. It is about evaluating data. And reports are the
>> most natural way of doing this. Reports should be a strength of
>> GnuCash, not something that is being neglected, because you could do
>> it elsewhere.
>
>You make some interesting points there.
>Gnucash is not a database. Agreed.

Actually, any gnc database is just that in the sense that it can be 
extracted into another form and be read independently as a set of 
accounts and transactions by progs in the ledger-cli family.

>Gnucash evaluates data. Good point.

Should gnc make value judgements? I think not :)

>Reports - there are reports, and some are difficult to work out exactly
>what they do.

>Accounting terminology changes as the new international
>standards spread and themselves change, so reports on Gnucash have got
>different names over the years.

Some change naturally, a P&L ain't the same if you're maintaining value 
for a charitable org for free.

>There is a competing philosophy in Unix in which you get use a number
>of different tools, using the best for each job you have, and not
>reinventing the wheel. Various means are used to bring those tools into
>use - an overarching program or a scripting system.

I think anything I say at this point is likely to be perceived as 
patronising, what the heck.

>Michael Novack is very clear on using the best tool for the job, but it
>is possible that your needs are actually met within Gnucash.

And that, dear people, is one way of telling someone else to consider 
their opinions.

:)


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