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Subject:Re: Layout program or markup language From:"Synnøva O'Gorman" <sogorman -at- hyperwave -dot- com> To:"techwr-l" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Fri, 14 Apr 2000 10:38:06 +0200
Hi Mica,
welcome to the world of Austrian technical writers (and a very small world
it is too!).
>My problem is that the developers are currently writing the 100 to 500 page
manuals in Word an it just isn't >getting the job done, too many bugs and
surprises. We all agree that we need to find another solution, but what?
We were in exactly the same situation about 18 months ago. Our documentation
had suddenly increased from about 300 to 1500 pages (5 different guides) and
working with Word was more adventure than either of us could handle. Our
particular problems related to converting the guides to PDF and HTML format
for packaging on our product CD. It was my idea to move all the
documentation to FrameMaker and, while the move has not been completely
trouble-free, we're all very glad not to be dependent on Word any longer.
For the uniniated, FrameMaker is more "difficult" to use than Word: setting
up templates and so on can be quite a task. However, once you set something
in Frame, it stays the way you set it, which is certainly more than can be
said for Word!! It really is a most stable product.
I would recommend the move, but a) give yourself plenty of time to undertake
it b) give plenty of thought to the template you create beforehand c) make
it very clear to the engineers and other people that you work with that it's
quite a task to convert 500 pages of documentation to Frame. Eventually, the
engineers will love it: it makes more sense to them than Word.
>Can you please tell me what the best solution is? (I feel at such a
disadvantage for not
>having studied technical writing in the US)
Don't feel at a disadvantage! So many people in this field have varied
qualifications, that's what makes it so interesting. By the way, did you
know that the Donau Universität in Krems has introduced a postgraduate
qualification in Technical Documentation?
If you have any questions about FrameMaker, or anything else, feel free to
ask.
