Re: Powerpoint is overkill for manuals!

[Tim Altom <taltom -at- SIMPLYWRITTEN -dot- COM>]

First off, sports fans, I'd like to clarify that I was talking about
authoring, not storing, materials.

Second, I can understand using SGML or an SGML-like system for doing "media
neutral authoring". But I can't resist the temptation to say that if speed
is a vital issue, we do docs in FrameMaker, then if the client has let us
use a ruthlessly structured approach, we can then do PostScript/PDF (the
same thing, essentially), HTML (via Quadralay) and WinHelp (via MIF2RTF) and
the whole thing can take no more than a half-hour. PDF is the fastest, due
to PDFMark out of Frame. HTML is more problematic, because of drifting
standards, but the filtering is fast. MIF2RTF, once properly tuned, takes
only a few minutes to produce a fully functional help file of hundreds of
topics, straight out of Frame. And FrameMaker is a kicker of an authoring
tool.

All of this is only possible if the document is structured to within an inch
of its conceptual life. Trying to do this with an "organic" document that
was grown over the years by tossing wording against the wall over and over
again will result in an even bigger mess at the nether end. I don't know if
the the Access solution would require such strict adherence to a standard.
My guess is that if it's SGML or SGML-like, it does. Good SGML is the
epitome of structured design.

Of course, we give up the future flexibility, portability, and real-time
benefits of a true SGML implementation. But for even long manuals, the
system works as reliably as Microsoft stuff doesn't. And we get the benefit
of using excellent, industry-standard software from good vendors who are
constantly working with us and keeping up with new features. We don't have
to write code or reinvent anything, or even try to convince clients to climb
on board the mired-in-the-mud SGML bus.

>>I can't think of anything in the Office suite that is more suitable to
>>modern manual production than Access. We use Access to do media neutral
>>authoring and then do simultaneous delivery to PostScript, PDF, WinHelp,
and
>>HTML. Presentation in each media is appropriate to that media. The entire
>>production process for all media takes about 4 hours.

Tim Altom
Adobe Certified Expert, Acrobat
Simply Written, Inc.
The FrameMaker support people
Ask about Clustar Method training and consulting
317.899.5882
http://www.simplywritten.com


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