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Subject:Re: another framemaker question From:Carla Martinek <fkfcarla -at- GEOCITIES -dot- COM> Date:Sun, 1 Mar 1998 14:57:26 -0600
Gil Yaker wrote:
> I'm tasked in the coming months to author 2 systems documents. Both of
> which will be about 500 pages in length with many screen shots and tables
> which need to be reliably indexed. From everything I've read, this sounds
> like a job for Framemaker. Unfortunately, someone in the documentation
> department said that he tried to get Framemaker as a standard tool here a
> few years ago, but was hit with resistance. As it is, all documents must
> now be delivered in MS Word format.
> I'd like to know if framemaker has an Export-to-Word feature. If it does,
> how solid is the implementation? Has anyone else been in a situation like
> this, and what have your experiences been.
I've been through the same problem. One of the best ways to approach it is
with cold, hard facts.
has a document that compares two older veresions of the software, but is still
very useful. I'd take it and update it.
Also, do a web search on Frame vs. Word, or variations like FrameMaker versus
Word, etc. I did this a while ago and found a few sites that I was able to
pull info from to use as ammunition when I went through the struggle.
One tactic we took when we tried to batter down the "Everything Must Be Done In
Word" rule at our location was to point out that software developers get the
correct tools for creating their product, and our job was every bit as
specialized as the developers. Word is fine for the initial writing, but when
it comes to PUBLISHING a document, it just doesn't have the finesse. Granted,
you can DO it in Word, but chances are you'll be fighting it all the way. Word
is a word processor; FrameMaker is a document publishing system. 'nuff said.
If they complain that they can't open the docs and read them, tell them that
you can easily make PDF versions available daily. (only takes a few minutes).
That protectes the integrity of the original document in progress.
My .02
Carla Martinek
Technical Writer
AutoMed Technologies, Inc.
