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Subject:Re: Frame Maker and Interleaf From:Katav <katav -at- YAHOO -dot- COM> Date:Mon, 15 Mar 1999 05:03:21 -0800
Both FM 5.5.n and Interleaf I7 are excellent products for long,
more-or-less fixed format documents ... tech manuals and these apps
are made for each other.
I own FM and I exercised I7beta - I would be happy with either and
delighted to own both. I started with Ventura (still around and still
a good product) with its V1.n, added Interleaf at its V3 (and moved to
V5), and started with FM with V4 [on a Mac], so I /do/ have some
experience with each of the products.
Having written that, if I could have only ONE page comp app, it would
be FrameMaker. Although Ventura is the most design flexible of the 3
('Leaf is least flexible), FM has multichapter functions lacking in
Ventura. It seems to have, comparing basic versions of both products,
all the bells and whistles found in Interleaf (emphasis is on BASIC
product @ ~US$800-$1k) while demanding less overhead ('Leaf ALWAYS has
been a resource hog).
All 3 have a learning curve and none use the same language for their
features/functions (used to drive me nuts, especially since I came
from a printing background).
All 3 apps import Word files -- FM and Interleaf import compound files
in one action, and I7 does a slightly better job than FM 5.5.6 -- so
you can continue creating text in Word (and import the legacy files
into the page comp app).
Two final things in FM's favor:
1. FM runs on more platforms than 'Leaf ... Mac (FM only), Windows
(95/98/NT), and many UNIX flavors; 'Leaf is Windows and some UNIX
flavors.
2. FM, since Adobe acquired it, is tightly integrated with Acrobat;
you can do more things automatically with FM<>Acrobat than
Ileaf<>Acrobat.
Oh yes, of the 3, only FM has an active Users Group list
(FrameUsers.com).
===================================
---Hollister Technical Services <Holtec -at- COMITY -dot- DEMON -dot- CO -dot- UK> wrote:
>
> Specifically can anyone say whether Interleaf is 'in the frame' as a
> suitable tool?
>
==
Katav ( katav -at- yahoo -dot- com )
''Despise not any person and do not deem anything unworthy
of consideration, for there is no person without his hour,
and no thing without its place'' {Ben Azzai [Avot 4:2]}
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