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My consideration is that the guide I was hired to create is now apt to be at
least two guides, and a future
software releases will add a third book. There are no functional specs here
nor program management milestones.
It appeared Word was going to be the tool of choice before I got here.
Not being a Word superuser, I have found Word does not update the TOCs very
well. I also cannot get Shift + F5 to
work with cross references so users can go back to the point of origin of
the cross reference. This would provide a user
with quick, good access to additional information if they needed it. (Does
anyone know of a fix? I see lots of complaints on web but no solution.)
Part of the comfort factor is true, though I see ease of creating other
versions of the doc a consideration as well.
I think (and I could be very wrong) it would take another contractor far
less time to come in an add 2 new chapters to
a guide using Frame than using Word (and running the risk of the doc getting
too big).
Am I wrong? Can anyone suggest where a writer can go for expert superuser
Word help? What alternative tools would people
suggest - this is going to be 2 to 3 guides for an internet application. I
think I have 6-9 weeks to complete.
Bobbi
On Tue, Sep 28, 2010 at 12:21 PM, Gene Kim-Eng <techwr -at- genek -dot- com> wrote:
> That was my interpretation as well. Either the company is intrigued by
> Bobbi's FM experience and would like to know whether FM would be an
> improvement over what they have now, or (hopefully not) Bobbi has managed
> to
> annoy them with comments about how much "better" FM is as a tool and
> they're
> giving her a chance to put up or you-know-what by providing a detailed
> FM-vs-Word comparison.
>
> I've done single-sourcing with FM and I hated it. I doubt that I'd like
> trying to do it in Word any better. If it's a genuine future step, my
> preference would be to move to a native XML tool. Single-sourcing is a
> significant mindset adjustment compared to traditional authoring, and
> trying
> to hang on to old, familiar tool environments just bogs down the learning
> process. At least it did for me.
>
> Gene Kim-Eng
>
>
>
>
> On Tue, Sep 28, 2010 at 7:26 AM, Combs, Richard
> <richard -dot- combs -at- polycom -dot- com>wrote:
>
> > So, to recap, here's the situation as I understand it: The company has
> been
> > using Word. Bobbi has come in as a contract technical writer, and she's
> > experienced with FM, but has never used Word for such a project.
> >
> > Why would you say the issue isn't Word vs. FM? Other than your enthusiasm
> > for ID, that is. :-)
> >
> > The issue is Word vs. FM because one is a comfortable fit for the company
> > (no change required) and the other is a comfortable fit for their writer
> (no
> > learning curve or stumbling blocks).
> >
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LavaCon 2010 in San Diego Sept 29 - Oct 2 is now open for registration.
Use referral code TECHWR-L for $50 off conference tuition!
See program at: http://lavacon.org/
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