TechWhirl (TECHWR-L) is a resource for technical writing and technical communications professionals of all experience levels and in all industries to share their experiences and acquire information.
For two decades, technical communicators have turned to TechWhirl to ask and answer questions about the always-changing world of technical communications, such as tools, skills, career paths, methodologies, and emerging industries. The TechWhirl Archives and magazine, created for, by and about technical writers, offer a wealth of knowledge to everyone with an interest in any aspect of technical communications.
Subject:[CBT Tool Pref?] Toolbook/Authorware From:"Paul J. Sisler" <paul -at- SISLER -dot- COM> Date:Mon, 3 Mar 1997 11:14:51 -0600
Colleagues:
I hesitate to post a question with the potential of starting another
Word/FrameMaker-style war, but . . .
For those who have done some CBT work--I'd appreciate feedback on the
relative merits of Toolbook II and Authorware.
I'm about to make some recommendations to a client for a Computer Based
Training development tool for in-house deployment to Windows NT 4.0
workstations. The end users frequently use an intranet containing daily
announcements and other business information using IE 3.x, and a tool that
would allow me to integrate CBT with the intranet would be preferable. Web
Based Training, to be displayed in IE, is a possiblity as well, but I've not
fully considered that option.
Should I be considering other tools--e.g, IconAuthor?
What about using Macromedia's Director instead of Authorware--will I be able
to use it to create something that looks like CBT?
My first impressions are that Authorware may integrate more easily with the
Intranet, and that it will offer more opportunities for fancy pants
animation, sound, and other spiffy Macro(multi)media stuff. However, fancy
pants, are not required, and functional dungarees will do just fine.
Toolbook appears to be designed more specifically with the development of
CBT in mind (offering automated testing gizmos and such). Of course,
there's the bottom line--Authorware is about twice the price where I've been
shopping.
ADVthanksANCE
Paul
paul -at- sisler -dot- com
TECHWR-L (Technical Communication) List Information: To send a message
to 2500+ readers, e-mail to TECHWR-L -at- LISTSERV -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU -dot- Send commands
to LISTSERV -at- LISTSERV -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU (e.g. HELP or SIGNOFF TECHWR-L).
Search the archives at http://www.documentation.com/ or search and
browse the archives at http://listserv.okstate.edu/archives/techwr-l.html