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Subject:RE: PDF a "book" of Word files From:"Goldstein, Dan" <DGoldstein -at- DeusTech -dot- com> To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Fri, 3 Oct 2003 13:30:40 -0400
The question isn't whether FM is the right tool for the task. I'm sure it
is.
The question is, as part of committing itself to using the right tool, did
the group think about the ramifications? Did they look around and say, "Do
any of us need to get basic knowledge of FM, in the unlikely event that John
moves on?"
It isn't *your* job to ask that question -- it's theirs. But from your post,
it kind of sounds like they never asked.
Dan Goldstein
-----Original Message-----
From: John Posada
Sent: Friday, October 03, 2003 12:57 PM
To: 'Goldstein, Dan'; TECHWR-L
Subject: RE: PDF a "book" of Word files
Dan...can't let this go by.
I didn't pick FM out of the air, and I didn't make the output fit a
preselected application. The authoring application was picked BECAUSE of
what they wanted.
When I got here, since none of documentation existed, I and my manager
discussed the form of the deliverable. I won't go into what the requirements
were, but let's say FM was able to meet most of his wishes. Word couldn't. I
explained the differences and what could be done and what could not be done,
but I think I sold the idea of the concept of the deliverable too well...he
didn't remember the downside. Even now, he still feels that the deliverable
had more going for it and knowing what he knows not, the decision would have
been the same.
Look at it this way...if I'd used Word, than for the last 14 months, we'd
have been dealing with what they will from now on. They just had a 14 month
reprieve from it. They're no worse off now than what they would have dealt
with, with the exception that they have more documentation because I was
much more efficient by writing in FM.
John Posada
-----Original Message-----
From: Goldstein, Dan
Sent: Thursday, October 02, 2003 5:04 PM
To: TECHWR-L
Subject: RE: PDF a "book" of Word files
And the moral is: When no one in your group knows FrameMaker, and you hire a
single tech writer, and the tech writer recommends working in FrameMaker...
Have everyone in the group read the whole post below (and the subsequent
responses), before you agree.
RoboHelp for FrameMaker is a NEW online publishing tool for FrameMaker that
lets you easily single-source content to online Help, intranet, and Web.
The interface is designed for FrameMaker users, so there is little or no
learning curve and no macro language required! Call 800-718-4407 for
competitive pricing or view a live demo at: http://www.ehelp.com/techwr-l3
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