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Subject:Re: Word Processing vs. Publishing Software From:Romay Jean Sitze <rositze -at- NMSU -dot- EDU> Date:Mon, 16 Jan 1995 16:20:48 -0700
George is right on target here. Certainly it would be inappropriate to
expect everyone in the organization to use a document publishing program
such as FrameMaker or Interleaf. But the technical writing staff should
have access to both a DPT program and a word processing program. They
serve different needs.
> However, I wonder from the comments that have been posted regarding
> the perceived need by management for the move from Frame to Word
> whether there is a *business need* for all of those using Frame to be
> doing so. I'd think most non-publishing professionals and clerical
> employees would be far better served by a good word processing package
> than they would be by Frame, Interleaf, or Corel Ventura. IMHO, if
> someone doesn't understand publishing concepts or terminology, he or
> she *most probably* has no need for a product with the horsepower of
> Frame and its ilk. And given the relative ease of importing and
> exporting text files to and from publishing packages, I can think of
> no reason why the two types of products can't easily coexist in the
> same organization.
> The software engineers I work with use Word for Windows 6 and Word for
> Mac 5.1, and my information development team uses both Word and Corel
> Ventura. We find the products quite compatible (especially since we've
> been using Ventura 5).
> The bottom line? Suit the product to both the task and the user's
> needs.
> --George Hayhoe (george -dot- hayhoe -at- srs -dot- gov)
> Assistant to the President for Recognition Programs, STC
RoMay Sitze A musician must make music, an artist must
rositze -at- nmsu -dot- edu paint, a poet must write, if he is to be
ultimately at peace with himself.
-Abraham Maslow-