Re: Ideas for inexpensive manuals - a follow-up

[David Warren <David -dot- Warren -at- NEXTEL -dot- COM>]

     Howdy!

     I understand where you're coming from.  The easiest answer is to
     document on the Mac using Framemaker 5.5, and generate the help files
     using Frame's Save To HTML function (older versions included a
     separate conversion utility--5.5 integrates the function.)

     The HTML help works on almost any platform that can run a web
     browser--and you need not worry about the Windows-only crap.  Most
     writers I know prefer Macs--even (or especially) if they work on
     Wintel or Unix boxes during the day.  Ye Gads, we even spend our *own
     money* on them!

     After all, you can always either run Wintel programs under SoftWindows
     for testing and screenshot purposes or stick a $399 Wintel card into
     your Mac to handle the bigger resource hogs.

     Hope I've Helped

     David T. Warren
     Publications Manager, Nextel Communications ESD


______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________
Subject: Ideas for inexpensive manuals - a follow-up
Author:  Eric Thomas <eathomas -at- DBITS -dot- COM> at INTERNET
Date:    6/1/98 3:57 PM


Thanks so much to everyone who responded to my message about putting
together inexpensive manuals.  While I haven't fully digested all of the
comments (many were suggestions on how to improve the overall process and
to whip developers into line), a recurring suggestion did come up:
on-demand DocuTech printing.  I know that my first set of manuals was done
on a DocuTech, which I've been told is fortunate considering I use Word 97
on Windows to do my manuals.  However, now I need to find a printer,
hopefully in the Chicago area, who has a DocuTech and is willing and able
to do very small runs of manuals for a decent price.

You know, having come out of an ad agency in my last job (as an MIS
manager), I knew the publishing world was overwhelmingly Mac based.
However, having to produce WinHelp in addition to printed manuals led me to
Doc-To-Help (I could have just as easily picked RoboHelp) - a Windows-only
application.  I like single-source publishing because it's a lot less
hassle.  But since I can't get Acrobat to convert my .bmp files from Word
97 without mangling them beyond belief, and because printers seem to feel
that Macintosh with Quark, PageMaker or FrameMaker should be how I'm
producing my documents - I feel like I'm hitting roadblocks at all turns.
Some days I honestly wonder which is worse - being a Mac user in a PC world
(in general) or being a PC user in a Mac world (publishing).

-Eric
Eric A. Thomas
eathomas -at- dbits -dot- com