Peter J Seymour wrote: > In clarification, I engage in family history research in a small way > (ie for my extended family) and I engage in software development > again I suppose in a small way where I have my own genealogical > program. I invited the discussion because I am trying to get a better > grip on the output requirements for such a program. > > Suitable output requirements depend first of all on who the user is - > amateur, professional, beginner, experienced and so on. Beyond that > there seem to be some definite modes of output for reports: -- screen > -- printer -- plain text file for subsequent ad-hoc data processing > -- pdf file for subsequent viewing/printing -- rtf (etc) file for > word processing -- csv file (where the data is appropriate) -- image > (jpg etc) -- webpage (I'm not keen on this one, it is too easy to do > inappropriate publishing) Peter, I think you are way behind the times. Many genealogy database programs already output to the native format of many word processors and included exhibits whether text or picture. Only the free or pared down versions limit output to text and rtf. More and more programs are implementing web page publishing either included in the program or as an add on. Many programs include multiple languages. For getting ideas on what you should include in a new program review the features that other programs available in Europe and North America already have. Browse the lists and forums for existing programs to see what features users would like to have. bob gillis > I have been trying to get a better grip on some of the more detail > points among all this. The comments made by various posters have been > quite helpful. > > Peter www.gendatam.com > Peter J Seymour <mozng@pjsey.demon.co.uk>