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Please note that "SharePoint" is no longer "just" SharePoint. I've added a little information on the differences below for your convenience:
THE OLD SHAREPOINT
Will probably not meet your requirements, but...
THE NEW SHAREPOINT
called Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 Enterprise (MOSS) in combination with DITA Exchange, probably will?
REQUIREMENTS?
Up till now you have discussed a few requirements in this thread. If these requirements are the "only" requirements they can be easily be met by DITA Exchange and MOSS. The following features will illustrate why:
XML structure implemented? Yes; DITA (Darwin Information Typing Architecture) XML (DITA Map, DITA Topic, DITA Metadata...)
Storing native DITA XML in MOSS? Yes
Support for DITA specializations? Yes
Version control? Yes (on maps, topics and graphics)
Workflow engine? Yes (can be customized and built using the new SharePoint Designer tool)
User authentication? Yes (on a very granular level)
Reuse of content across publications and departments? Yes
Support for "where used"? Yes (on maps, topics and graphics)
Version differences? Yes
Publishing to PDF? Yes via DITA Open Toolkit or Word 2007
Publishing to HTMLhelp and other HTML formats? Yes via e.g. stylesheets
Publishing to other formats? Yes
Supporting Word 2007 as an editor? Yes (release date to be announced shortly)
Supporting FrameMaker as an editor? Yes
Supporting XMetaL as an editor? Yes
Supporting a forms-based browser editor? Yes
Collaborating with XML translation memory applications? Yes
Sold as SaaS (Software as a Service)? Yes, (â63 per user per months)
Sold as an in-house installed solution at the Customer server farm? Yes (â39 per user per months)
So all in all; a complete end-to-end single-source-publishing collaboration platform based on DITA, Word and SharePoint
Please let me know if I can assist with other details.
Best,
Ole
Best Regards
>< Content Technologies ApS
Ole Rom Andersen
Harevej 23
DK-8660 Skanderborg
Â
Mobile: +45-4044-0553
Phone: +45-3696-0899
Skype: olerom
ora -at- dita-exchange -dot- com http://www.dita-exchange.com
----Original Message-----
From: techwr-l-bounces+ora=dita-exchange -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com [mailto:techwr-l-bounces+ora=dita-exchange -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com] On Behalf Of Yaakov Gelber
Sent: 12. maj 2008 17:44
To: Lech Rzedzicki
Cc: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
Subject: RE: XML content management systems
I work in the telephony industry. My company creates systems and individual services primarily for mobile roaming solution.
Various system configurations can use some of the same hardware and software.
Various services can have the same parameters.
I would rather not go into more detail.
Yaacovg
> Date: Mon, 12 May 2008 16:30:18 +0100> From: xchaotic -at- gmail -dot- com> To: yaacovg2007 -at- hotmail -dot- com> Subject: Re: XML content management systems> CC: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com> > And if it's not not top secret, you could post more details on your> use cases, subject matter, so perhaps people who have gone through> similar transformations can share their experiences and insights.> > In my adventures with CMS, I have been working with documentation> departments in life-sciences, telecoms and legal.> In all those cases, most problems and requirements stemmed from> regulations specific to the industry rather than being generic CMS> issues, such as level of reuse or reuse chunks management.> > > Lech> > On Mon, May 12, 2008 at 3:39 PM, Yaakov Gelber <yaacovg2007 -at- hotmail -dot- com> wrote:> >> > Thanks. I will do some more home work.> >> > Yaacovg> >> >> >> >> > ________________________________> >> > > Date: Mon, 12 May 2008 15:29:49 +0100> >> > > From: xchaotic -at- gmail -dot- com> > > To: yaacovg200
7 -at- hotmail -dot- com> > > Subject: Re: XML content management systems> > > CC: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com> > >> >> > > In that case I don't think SharePoint is likely to fulfill those> > requirements.> > >> > > As a first step, I think, you might need to change your authoring> > > environment. Any variations of Word products may produce consistently> > > styled conent, but it's simply to easy to stray from there, even> > > unintentionally. Also Word's native OOXML format is difficult to work> > > with (th specification spanning thousands of pages, arguably not XML> > > in some places).> > > Switching to a more suitable format such as DITA, encourages reuse by> > > default and is becoming the de facto standard for tech writing> > > departments. Through specialization, you may adapt DITA to suit your> > > particular needs.> > >> > > I personally had to work with processes where Word format was the> > > desired output (due to it being widespread), it worked well as a> > > presentatio
n tool. Any attempt to merge the changes from Word to the> > > CMS is in my view a risky attempt.> > >> > > As for XML-based CMS, there really is a lot of them out there. I> > > suggest reading STC Intercom edition devoted to planning and choosing> > > a CMS implementation.> > >> > > Then maybe http://cmswatch.com/, just to see the plethora of solution> > > on the market.> > >> > > There really is a lot of factors to ponder upon, technical,> > > managerial, philosophical.> > >> > > For instance, for any large enough repository, scalability and> > > performance become issues - if your writers are used to editing> > > offline, performance of many CMSes might be noticeably slow.> > >> > > Workflows only makes sense if they are well-designed and integrated> > > with the tools. I think this is one particular are where Sharepoint> > > excels - you can use use API to program custom workflows. In my> > > experience, I find it much more difficult for the management to use &> > > gras
p the ideas of CMS than writers themselves.> > >> > > Almost every time, you need to customize the CMS solution to you> > > needs, you need to ensure that it's configurable enough (many CMSes> > > don't expose APIs for crucial functions so you're stuck with default> > > behavior) and that you have the resources to do so (in-house full-time> > > programmer ?).> > >> > > From the plethora of choices I see two ends of the spectrum:> > > a) small, usually open-source solutions, usually adapting existing> > > tech such as wikis, DITA OT, SVN, exist to form a basic CMS> > > b) huge players, Microsoft, PTC, IBM than can provide end-to-end> > > solutions (editor + database + workflows + nice GUI).> > > For instance in case of PTC that would be Epic Editor + XHive XML DB +> > > Documentum as a sample configuration.> > >> > >> > > It really is becoming a huge field as almost every company needs to> > > manage their knowledge and assets via some form of CMS.> > > The right choice can o
nly be made knowing the specific use cases. An> > > that is only the beginning of the road, it needs to be followed by a> > > well-governed implementation and migration, followed by user training> > > and careful maintenance, including but not limited to managing the> > > reusable content.> > >> > > Lech> >> >> > ________________________________> > Make Windows Vista more reliable and secure with Windows Vista Service Pack> > 1. Learn more.
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Stay in touch when you're away with Windows Live Messenger. http://www.windowslive.com/messenger/overview.html?ocid=TXT_TAGLM_WL_Refresh_messenger_052008
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Create HTML or Microsoft Word content and convert to Help file formats or
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True single source, conditional content, PDF export, modular help.
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Create HTML or Microsoft Word content and convert to Help file formats or
printed documentation. Features include support for Windows Vista & 2007
Microsoft Office, team authoring, plus more. http://www.DocToHelp.com/TechwrlList
True single source, conditional content, PDF export, modular help.
Help & Manual is the most powerful authoring tool for technical
documentation. Boost your productivity! http://www.helpandmanual.com
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