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Subject:Re: Creating a template with locked From:Richard L Hamilton <dick -at- rlhamilton -dot- net> To:Cat Salm <catrose15 -at- hotmail -dot- com> Date:Wed, 22 Jun 2011 12:55:11 -0700
Cat,
How about a wiki? Sounds like they're all working on the same text, so you could give them shared access and let them fight it out. I would then either only put on the wiki the parts you want them to edit, or include everything, but ignore any changes to the parts you want to leave constant.
If they think editing in a wiki is too difficult, I'd go with Chris's suggestion (job search:).
Also, I have a short case study on our web site that talks about the general idea. You can see it at:
Best Regards,
Richard Hamilton
-------
XML Press
XML for Technical Communicators http://xmlpress.net
hamilton -at- xmlpress -dot- net
On Jun 22, 2011, at 12:28 PM, Cat Salm wrote:
>
> I need a way to create a document template that would allow others to edit certain aspects of the text, but that they absoltly cannot change anything but what I want them too.
>
> Here are my limitations -
>
> 1) None of them can use InDesign (and we will NOT be purchasing it for them).
> 2) None of them have Acrobat, so if I create it as an editable pdf they won't be able to save
> 3) I been told not to use publisher by my supervisor - he hates it and thinks it creats substandard documents, no matter how good the designer is.
> 4) The group I am working with is determined to each have their own way, I have been told to ensure that they are consistent and to follow the guidelines we are supposed to follow for where I work
>
> I've tried sending them drafts in pdfs and having them send me back changes hardcopy, that went... badly. Emails - I got told that was to complicated. Meetings to go over the changes and make edits in situ - were worse then the hardcopy changes.
>
> I'm at my wits end and open to any suggestions. They are driving me nuts with the constant bickering and how nasty and negative they are about these publications if they don't get what they want. And no matter what I do - they are never happy. I don't even really expect giving them a template they can put their own text into to make them happy - but I'm running out of ideas.
>
> Suggestions, help, xanax?
> ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>
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