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RE: How do FrameMaker and Doc-To-Help compare - a follow-up
Subject:RE: How do FrameMaker and Doc-To-Help compare - a follow-up From:"Combs, Richard" <richard -dot- combs -at- Polycom -dot- com> To:<techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com> Date:Mon, 9 Feb 2009 16:49:43 -0700
Hmm, the post Will and John responded to doesn't seem to have made it to
the list. But I'm struck by how much time and effort went into defending
and elaborating on a question based on the mistaken premise that
FrameMaker is another HAT ("having learned one HAT, the knowledge makes
it easier to learn others as well"). (A mistaken premise repeated again
in the response to being informed that it's mistaken.)
I can't help but wonder how much actual information about FrameMaker
could have been acquired in the same amount of time.
> --------
>
> I appreciate the info, but this still does me no good. I'm looking for
> a useful reply to the original query:
>
> I'm applying "for a position that called for "FrameMaker skills a
> plus. I've used Doc-To-Help, but no other HATs. I want to demonstrate
> that my software skills on one are most likely transferable to the
> other."
>
> Remember, I don't know FrameMaker, so I'm looking for a detailed
> picture about how my skills on D2H may be transferable, even if
> they're not comparable.
>
> And from Karen's brief description, Frame and the HAT that I know DO
> look comparable in at least some ways.
>
> Note that apples and oranges in her analogy are both fruits--which
> share many more traits than they differ in. For example, try comparing
> apples to planets, or oranges to protozoa.
>
> They appear similar in these ways:
>
> - They both create documents (and online help in the case of D2H).
> - They both are powerful, complex programs.
> - They both require knowledge of an interface and system to create
outputs.
> - They both create various types of outputs, some of which may be
> similar in some ways, less similar in others.
>
> With these basic characteristics, they look pretty similar to me in
> basic functions.
Using that list of basic characteristics, so do Excel, WordPerfect,
Visio, ...
> Maybe the key question is:
>
> What transferable skills can I demonstrate to a hiring manager that
> are used in both FrameMaker and D2H?
>
> The challenge is to demonstrate to someone who may not have used D2H,
> or FrameMaker--or even knows what they are--that I can learn quickly
> how to work in FrameMaker. If I can get a handle on what FrameMaker
> does, and find similarities, I'm on the right track.
Spending half an hour at Adobe.com would help.
> The hiring decision could depend on the level of detail the hiring
> manager focuses on in the job description, and how astute she is to
> the core requirements of the job.
>
> I can also download a trial version of FrameMaker and make a
> document--a good idea if the company shows interest. But first I need
> to get them to show interest!
> (And I don't have time to learn every software app that every job
> description demands.)
>
> If the following questions help--and I'm not sure they do--does anyone
> know:
>
> - In what _specific_ ways are they comparable and not?
>
> - What does FrameMaker do that D2H does not, and vice versa?
>
> - What about interface, programming organization, ease of use, other
> factors you can think of?
Spending half an hour at Adobe.com would help.
> An aside: Someone once told me all HATs, HTML and word processing or
> document production programs are converging in their abilities. It
> seems only a matter of time, marketing and programming ingenuity till
> they can all do the same things with minor variations, and only
> interface variations.
Maybe you can sell that to the hiring manager.
> > I recently applied for a position that called for "FrameMaker skills
a
> > plus." I've used Doc-To-Help, but no other HATs. I want to
demonstrate
> that
> > my software skills on one are most likely transferable to the other.
> >
> > I evaluated Madcap Flare on a contract basis for an online help
project
> for
> > a company, but didn't really dig into it. Its interface seemed more
> > complicated than D2H.
> >
> > One reason for choosing D2H: the company is filled with potential
> > contributors who have writing skills and use MS Word--but little or
no
> > technical writing experience--so D2H seemed like the best fit for
the
> > company's limited resources. They don't plan on hiring a tech writer
to
> > continue the project.
> >
> > Who has used both, and how do they compare? How easy was it to learn
one,
> > having used the other? How long a learning curve for one vs. the
other?
> (I
> > know it'll be subjective, and hard to assess personal factors like
> general
> > ability with software, speed of learning, etc.--but I'll just have
to
> figure
> > in a fudge factor to cover those.)
> >
> > I'm also assuming that, having learned one HAT, the knowledge makes
it
> > easier to learn others as well.
> >
> > All (politely stated) comments are welcome. Thanks!
>
> -- Tim
>
> ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Richard G. Combs
Senior Technical Writer
Polycom, Inc.
richardDOTcombs AT polycomDOTcom
303-223-5111
------
rgcombs AT gmailDOTcom
303-777-0436
------
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