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RE: Engineering Textbook: Word MasterDocs vs FrameMaker vs ... ???
Subject:RE: Engineering Textbook: Word MasterDocs vs FrameMaker vs ... ??? From:Slager Timothy J <Timothy -dot- Slager -at- dematic -dot- com> To:Nina Barzgaran <nina -dot- barzgaran -at- barzgaran -dot- at>, Peter Neilson <neilson -at- windstream -dot- net> Date:Fri, 22 Oct 2021 12:19:32 +0000
I think we are overthinking this. I worked on a couple of books for Oxford University Press. They accept manuscripts in Word (not sure if they accept other formats). There is nothing wrong with learning to exploit the possibilities of Word.
When it's time to publish to other channels, you can re-consider.
tims
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From: techwr-l-bounces+timothy -dot- slager=dematic -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com <techwr-l-bounces+timothy -dot- slager=dematic -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com> On Behalf Of Nina Barzgaran
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Subject: Re: Engineering Textbook: Word MasterDocs vs FrameMaker vs ... ???
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Hello,
I enjoyed reading all the tips about this matter so far!
But when you come to think of it, truly, it's a 'book' you are about to 'publish'.
Good, old 'Desktop Publishing' is what you are looking at.
Collaboration for a one-time project and a large bulk of documents inside Word may be alright.
But if this is to be kept and maintained for years and even be delivered
- i.e. 'published' - to other formats and channels, I'd really
re-consider:
The time it needs to train people on a proper tool may seem a lot, at first.
But the time and hassle and nerves of all concerned you will save in the long run using a proper tool / CMS cannot be overestimated!
There are even tools out there, cloud as well as local clients, that allow for easy and seamless import of Word docs. Although, if for long-time use, I would not recommend it.
Office suites these days can do a lot of things, but they are not and never were meant for 'desktop publishing'.
My favourite example is this, bluntly put: "If you use garden shears to mow the lawn, you will run into problems - even if you plug on (in ;-) ) additional gadgets."
All the best!
Nina
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