It seems to me that there are several co-operations scenarios which may require different solutions:
1. Leading author/editor: A) Writing a book alone: In this case the co-operation is with the publisher. In my experience - this was before LyX-time, using FrameMaker this boils down to a very conventional scenario: The responsible editor/corrector of the publisher reads the manuscripts and makes his/her suggestion either via paper or (more modern) via pdf annotation. B) Responsible editor: In these cases I'm responsible for the editing process and make arrangements concerning format, citation, getting what kind of files etc. As I'm responsible this scenario poses no big problem with LyX: Converting the files to LyX and sending out the formatted version for the last corrections. The real problem arises in a scenario where different people work together on an equal footing to produce an article or a book. 2. Co-operation on equal footing: C) Long term co-operation on an equal footing: If it is a long term co-operation (a major book with probably several editions in the future, or a researcher alliance producing several articles etc.) I would try to convince my partners to use LyX. At the beginning it may require more work on my side in helping to solve the typical beginner problems with LyX but in the long run it would pay back the effort. The most convincing arguments are those which point out some LyX features which other text processing systems do not have or are very cumbersome to use. The rational: In order to produce the required output easily one has to use LyX. These arguments are mainly subject driven; maybe the linguistic module is a good example for this strategy. In my field education I do not have this subject driven arguments. I could argue with general facilitations like easy indexing, easy citations and bibliography compilation etc. [BTW: There is also one showstopper to overcome: (complex) tables are in LyX still pretty unconformable and cumbersome to generate and edit.] D) Short term co-operation on an equal footing: In my opinion this is the real challenge and my original question was directed to this everyday scenario: I'm evolved in different (EU)-projects lasting 2-3 years with always changing partners. In these cases 1.) I can't require from my partner to learn and use LyX and 2.) I do not want to load more responsibilities on my shoulders as necessary. In these cases it is for me out of questions to suggest to be the responsible editor during the exchange phases. Resuming the ongoing discussion there is from my point of view just one solution: To provide the tools for a cross-software co-operation. Generally that means a co-operation between LyX and MS Word or OO. Even if I can't require that my partner use a different software as they are used I sure can require that they are using styles. So what I imagine is a good conversion routine which translates LyX styles to OO and Word styles and vice versa. At the moment I'm very unhappy with the conversion: As someone mentioned already: the conversion is not really LyX-like. In my experience a conversion comes as a LyX file which is full of small erst. This is ugly and uncomfortable to continue to work with. But maybe I'm doing here something wrong? The conversion routine is not easy to handle as the many complains in the forum shows. The standard answer: "do the conversion from the command line then you have more configurable options and you get more suitable results" mostly stops the discussion thread but does it also provides a solution for the asking person? Or does is just silences further questions? - I would suggest a primer for conversions; many people do not even know what is meant to use the command line. What are the options? How to use it, and when with what effect? Not to forget the many complaints in the forum that the conversions do not work altogether - maybe because of installation errors. [Please keep in mind that I'm still a newcomer to LyX. Maybe I'm completely wrong, but in that case my difficulties are possibly representative for Newbies.] I know that the conversion routine never could be perfect but I could live with loosing some LyX formatting specialities in the first rounds of the co-operation. In the finish the partners will agree who will finalize the text and this person is free to use his/her preferable tool. From here the co-operation scenario comes close to case B). Peter
