Re: REquest for advice on Workflow & Tools

[Goober <techcommgoober -at- yahoo -dot- com>]

My my, how info gets garbled over the ether...

> Uhhhh, gee, how about this: to make the PDF, you
> gotta have Adobe's 
> Acrobat anyway. And to tsave as HTMl, gee, why
> didn't I think of that? 
> Word's  method is just soooo good--heck, why pay
> Quadralay any ducats? 
> Are they just an HTML Abdominizer?
> Of course, the answers seem to be, Word sucks at
> consistent document 
> design (which is, as I stressed, the topic). But
> maybe it's not 
> important, as Goober thinks. Maybe document design
> and even information 
> design and, well, gaaawwwwlllly, maybe I should jus'
> let the  architects 
> do their own writing and editing and
> publishing...and I can go back to 
> watching daytime tv...along with watching the bank
> account dwindle.

Sorry you took it that way. My intent was to point out
that having these people do the initial authoring may
not be a hot idea if they can't do it within a
structured workflow.

> > Sounds like you need to fix workflow, not jump to
> a
> > new tool. You may be able to fix your workflow
> without
> > jumping to tools, or at least by revisiting the
> > workflow in detail you could get an idea of how
> new
> > tools will help you. As of right now, I see no
> benefit
> > whatsoever in adding FM+WWP to your workflow.
> >
> I come to you and others on the list for advice, not
> ridicule. 

What in the above was ridicule? I read your post, saw
a problem with workflow, and expanded on it.

> So what 
> suggestions DO you have for other workflows? Sorry,
> but I've modeled 
> this several ways--and other than getting my MS in
> CS and then becoming 
> a software architect, I just don't see it. 

Why not have them author in Frame? I just don't see
the point in making more work for yourself by taking
their work and then moving it into FM...

> As far as benefits to FM+WWP, 
> how about information design, single sourcing that
> doesn't suck, and extensibility? 

You're arguing to the wrong person. I'm a huge fan of
FM+WPP and have been for many years.

> Or am I the only one on the list that
> thinks a workflow 
> incorporating material taken from one source
> imported into FrameMaker to 
> produce PDFs and HTML is a good workflow?

My question: What happens after the fact? They are
still in a Word mode, and you still have a Word to FM
conversion. Don't you think this might lead to a
maintenance nightmare?

> > So you can't author any of this yourself, and you
> > can't get the Architects to use FM? Not even if
> you
> > create "bulletproof" templates? I'm curious, is
> your
> > role only as a typesetter/publisher? I'm just
> curious.
> No, you're not curious, you're just a sniper...

Am I? Really?

> An organization that 
> already owns Word and already has in-house (at least
> more-than-pedestrian) expertise in Word...why would
> it EVER go to FM? 

If you see a huge benefit in doing so, and were hired
to make the process better, then why not propose it?
Hell, once you have your templates in order, teaching
them to use FM will be not unlike using Word, and they
have the styles and structure already laid out for
them!

> No, engineers and programmers aren't going to use
> this tool. From my 
> 12-year experiential level, it seems to me that
> there are justification 
> for creating technical editing/publishing roles
> within 
> departments...because, so many times, writers just
> edit what programmers 
> cobble together anyway--especially in cases like
> mine. Perhaps I'm not 
> as smart as you, Goober...I guess that's why I
> posited the question.

I think you need to calm down. What I proposed was an
in-depth look into your workflow and try correcting it
from the right angle. I was trying to save you some
repetitious work (Word to FM every time something's
authored). Whether you choose to see my point and
think about it or not is up to you.

> Sorry for wasting your time.

You didn't waste my time, and I'm sorry if you took my
post personally.

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