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Claire Conant responded "I use *Un*structured Frame because it allows me
more
flexibility within my documents. Someone please correct me if I am wrong
- but my understanding of structured frame is that it is more rigid in
the placement of elements."
I don't know if everything is moving toward structured FM, but I can tell
you that, as a writer, I found it much easier working with structured FM.
In my first "real" tech writing job (about 10 years ago now) we used FM+SGML
(which is what's currently called "structured" FM). The EDD, styles, etc,
had already been set up. I attended a 2-day introductory FM class (we used
unstructured FM in the class) and was then given my first writing project in
FM+SGML. I soon became quite accustomed and comfortable with working in
FM+SGML and found that I could concentrate more on writing instead of
fiddling with format. I changed jobs about 2 years later, however, and only
started using FM again a few months ago.
When I was presented with the choice of using unstructured or structured, I
opted for unstructured to avoid the extra development and set-up required
with structured FM (and this was also the advice given to me by the person
who had set up FM+SGML in my first "real" tw job). As well, I'm the lone tw
here and we only do print and PDF from FM, so there is no real requirement
for structure.
I now find that I'm spending at least half of my time fiddling with format
as I go along in unstructured FM. I realize of course that it's the
combination of having used FM+SGML (i.e., structured FM) and then having not
used FM at all for several years that's making it much more difficult for me
now.
So this has been my experience with structured and unstructured FM.
To address Claire's statement about structured FM being more rigid in the
placement of elements, I guess that's part of the price one pays for the
benefits associated with having structure. However, I believe that
structured FM isn't too rigid (i.e., you can break the rules). At least
that's what I remember from when I used FM+SGML.
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