TechWhirl (TECHWR-L) is a resource for technical writing and technical communications professionals of all experience levels and in all industries to share their experiences and acquire information.
For two decades, technical communicators have turned to TechWhirl to ask and answer questions about the always-changing world of technical communications, such as tools, skills, career paths, methodologies, and emerging industries. The TechWhirl Archives and magazine, created for, by and about technical writers, offer a wealth of knowledge to everyone with an interest in any aspect of technical communications.
Subject:Re: FrameMaker on Linux (rant) From:Bruce Byfield <bbyfield -at- axionet -dot- com> To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Wed, 29 Nov 2000 12:40:27 -0800
KMcLauchlan -at- chrysalis-its -dot- com wrote:
>
> You have to wonder who made the decision to run FM-Linux
> up the flagpole and then made the decision to NOT do
> the port from 6.0 while 6.0 was being developed/ported
> for all the currently-supported systems. They were asking
> for trouble there... or pre-ordaining the outcome.
An old story: when Adobe bought FrameMaker in 1995 or 1996, Frame's
developers were just releasing the second beta of an OS/2 version.
The Adobe management axed it. The developers went so far as to
petition the management to reconsider, and a couple are rumored to
have quite when the management refused.
I have no idea how many of the Frame developers have stuck with
Adobe, but I wonder if this group or a similar one advocated a Linux
version, and the feeble beta program was a way of satisfying them
and silencing them at the same time.
Or maybe it's just innate conservatism on the part of Adobe
management.
> Now, who's tried out KWord (on Linux), and how's it
> lookin' as a tech writer tool?
It's still a little too much on the basic side for tech writing - no
cross-references, for example. I've also heard some people complain
about stability problems, although I haven't seen any (but, then
again, I've never tried to use it for anything more than a dozen
pages).
The good news is that Frame users can feel comfortable very quickly
with it.
All in all, it's a program to watch - but not yet one to use for
serious work. I'd give it another release or two before recommending
it.
--
Bruce Byfield, Outlaw Communications
Contributing Editor, Maximum Linux
604.421.7189 bbyfield -at- axionet -dot- com
"You shot me down with friendly fire
You were all dressed up to play Gun for Hire
The rope you threw me was made of barbed wire
But put it there pal, put it there."
- Richard Thompson, "Put It There, Pal"
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Develop HTML-based Help with Macromedia Dreamweaver! (STC Discount.)
**NEW DATE/LOCATION!** January 16-17, 2001, New York, NY. http://www.weisner.com/training/dreamweaver_help.htm or 800-646-9989.
Sponsored by SOLUTIONS, Conferences and Seminars for Communicators
Publications Management Clinic, TECH*COMM 2001 Conference, and more http://www.SolutionsEvents.com or 800-448-4230
---
You are currently subscribed to techwr-l as: archive -at- raycomm -dot- com
To unsubscribe send a blank email to leave-techwr-l-obscured -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com
Send administrative questions to ejray -at- raycomm -dot- com -dot- Visit http://www.raycomm.com/techwhirl/ for more resources and info.
