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If the individual is *not* proficient with Frame and WebWorks now, the
learning curve might be at least as difficult as a totally XML-based
solution.
It is difficult at times to recall the time and trouble spent in
getting proficient with these tools. Of course, if you have already
spent that time and trouble, the incremental work involved in doing
this project would be correspondingly much less.
For someone with only a rudimentary knowlege of these tools, I believe
a similar amount of effort would be required to do the whole thing in
XML...with some fairly considerable advantages there.
Of course, there are many different XML tools with varying
complexities of their own. Some are certainly no more "user
unfriendly" than frame itself--or have you forgotten your early
struggles to master it?
Although I *love* Frame personally, it is clearly showing its age and
the ongoing commitment of Adobe to the tool remains suspect. Thus, for
a new product set only now preparing to be marketed, I would seriously
question the requirements and not close the door upon an XML solution
if you don't already have the requisite skills with Frame and with
WebWorks.
David
On Tue, 4 Jan 2005 16:36:35 -0500, T.W. Smith <techwordsmith -at- gmail -dot- com> wrote:
>
> IMHO, XML is overkill if the FrameMaker GUI or FM + WWP 2003 GUIs
> efficiently do what you need. The reason I think that is I sense a
> need to author in a document-unfriendly package and then add a
> database and/or custom programming ... of course, I may be
> overthinking the complexity of the XML stuff, but if it's not complex,
> use the efficiencies FM + WWP give.
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