What computer, what software for a lab?

[Geoff Hart <ghart -at- videotron -dot- ca>]

David Hailey wondered: <<Our department has a grant to upgrade the  
teaching lab (where I teach digital media topics).  There is a chance  
the project leaders will want to install Macintosh laptops.>>

That's a good choice. A Mac will let you run Mac software, Windows  
software, some Unix software, and possibly even MS-DOS software all  
on the same computer hardware. You'll pay a slight price premium for  
a Mac compared with a comparably equipped brand name PC (or  
considerably more compared with a generic clone), but possibly no  
price premium at all with Apple's educational discount, but you get a  
better computer in most cases. (For example, Mac desktops have topped  
the reliability ratings published by Consumer Reports and both  
desktops and laptops have topped the satisfaction ratings for  
something like the past 3 years. And the gap compared with PCs is  
quite large; check out the latest issue for details. PC Mag, despite  
often biased coverage, usually reports similar results in their  
annual user survey, but I haven't read them for a couple years now  
and can't say whether this is true.)

<<My sense is that for better or worse, the vast majority of  
technical writing takes place in DOS or UNIX environments, but  
perhaps I am out of touch, perhaps I am wrong.>>

If you mean "MS-DOS", then you're _way_ out of touch. <g> If you mean  
Windows, you're correct. Unix is less common. But if you're  
specifically focusing on technical writing, then you need to be  
running Windows, no matter whether you buy Apple or Dell or any other  
manufacturer's hardware: Windows is where most of the software is  
being developed and being used, and even traditionally Mac software  
(i.e., Adobe) is now developed first for Windows, and only later for  
the Mac. You can't really run a modern version of Frame, or any  
Windows help-authoring tool under OS X, though you can run it in  
Windows on Apple hardware.

<<Do you think such a teaching lab should be using DOS-based  
computers (since there is no way we can use UNIX)?>>

You should be able to run some form of Linux (simplistically, "free  
Unix") on pretty much any modern computer, including all computers  
with Intel chips (both Macs and PCs). You'll have to check whether  
specific software you need is available for your flavor of Linux.

<<I also suggest that the software we must have is Office and Adobe's  
techcomm studio package, which I think includes Frame, InDesign,  
Dreamweaver, Flash, Captivate, and possibly Robohelp.  I would also  
like to have Maya and 3DsMax for teaching 3D technical animation, but  
that's unlikely to happen. I guess that for now I will teach with  
Flash and Captivate.>>

Except for the 3D software (only rarely used in tech. comm. --  
witness the near-total lack of questions about such software on  
techwr-l over the past 15+ years), that sounds like a good starting  
point, but you'll also want to include MadCap Flare for help  
authoring, and at least consider WebWorks ePublisher (either for Word  
or for Frame). Also consider OpenOffice, which exists for all three  
operating systems (as "NeoOffice" for OS X), and screen capture  
software such as SnagIt. Some kind of screenshot (bitmap) editing  
software is necessary; Photoshop, for instance.


----------------------------------------------------
-- Geoff Hart
ghart -at- videotron -dot- ca / geoffhart -at- mac -dot- com
www.geoff-hart.com
--------------------------------------------------
***Now available***  _Effective onscreen editing_
(http://www.geoff-hart.com/home/onscreen-book.htm)

Print version: http://stores.lulu.com/store.php?fStoreID=1505747

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

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

---
You are currently subscribed to TECHWR-L as archive -at- web -dot- techwr-l -dot- com -dot- 

To unsubscribe send a blank email to 
techwr-l-unsubscribe -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
or visit http://lists.techwr-l.com/mailman/options/techwr-l/archive%40web.techwr-l.com


To subscribe, send a blank email to techwr-l-join -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com

Send administrative questions to admin -at- techwr-l -dot- com -dot-  Visit
http://www.techwr-l.com/ for more resources and info.