Editing OpenDoc (section)

==Overview==
The core idea of OpenDoc is to create small, reusable components which are responsible for a specific task, such as text editing, bitmap editing, or browsing an [[File Transfer Protocol|FTP]] server. OpenDoc is a framework in which these components can run together, and a compound document format for storing the data created by each component. These documents can then be opened on different networked machines of different operating systems, on which the OpenDoc frameworks can substitute suitable components for each part, even if they are from different vendors.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.byte.com/art/9403/sec9/art1.htm | title=A Close-Up of OpenDoc | first=Kurt | last=Piersol | date=March 1994 | work=Byte.com | access-date=April 24, 2007 | archive-date=September 28, 2007 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928030918/http://www.byte.com/art/9403/sec9/art1.htm | url-status=dead }}</ref> In this way, users can "build up" their documents from parts. Since there is no main application and the only visible interface is the document itself, the system is known as ''document-centered''.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://gregmaletic.wordpress.com/2006/11/12/opendoc/ | title=OpenDoc | first=Greg | last=Maletic | date=November 12, 2006 | work=Greg Maletic's Blog | access-date=April 24, 2007}}</ref>

OpenDoc was conceived to allow, for example, smaller, third-party developers to enter the competitive [[office suite]] software market, and build small, specialized applications instead of having to provide a complete suite. It was envisioned to facilitate a new future of online [[app store]]s.<ref name="MvW">{{cite web|url=http://tech-insider.org/mac/research/acrobat/Mac/950829.pdf| publisher=[[Apple Computer]] | title=Macintosh vs Windows 95| access-date=August 21, 2022 | quote=Application developers will be able to focus on writing small programs that do specific things, rather than creating entire suites. This will make it much easier for small, innovative software companies to get back in the industry....OpenDoc applications will be sold the way applications are sold today, and through the same channels. But as with any new technology, additional channels will evolve to capitalize on the technology's strengths. It is likely that over time on-line component warehouses will be used to distribute some OpenDoc applications.  Interesting new on-line applications and services will be enabled by OpenDoc.}}</ref>