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>I missed the start of this thread, so I can't reply personally. If
>I've understood this correctly, the authors want to keep revising the
>document right up to the release (or due) date, right? Bad idea. Even
>if you can figure out a mechanism for ensuring that your editor
>approves _all_ changes after the initial edit, you're vastly
>multiplying the editor's work as well as the chance for errors.
Considering that the number one reason why an author would want to make
changes in a document is that product designers have made changes in the
product, not allowing such changes is certain to introduce error. We need to
wake up to the fact that in modern product development, design changes occur
almost up to the day of release, and that this is not a fault in the
development process but a necessary part of business life for any company
that wants to maintain a competitive edge. The only way for information
developers to keep up and maintain quality is to abandon monolithic document
authoring in favor of component based information development using a well
designed content management system.
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Mark Baker
Manager, Corporate Communications
OmniMark Technologies Corporation
1400 Blair Place
Gloucester, Ontario
Canada, K1J 9B8
Phone: 613-745-4242
Fax: 613-745-5560
Email mbaker -at- omnimark -dot- com
Web: http://www.omnimark.com
