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Subject:Re: Advice on systems From:"Kelly K. Hoffman" <zeke -dot- dnet!hoffman -at- LOGICRAFT -dot- COM> Date:Tue, 15 Jun 1993 09:34:59 -0400
Paula Reynolds writes:
> I was hoping for advice on which system to use: PageMaker,
> FrameMaker, or Word for Windows.
I agree with Chuck Banks that you first need to determine what
management wants. In addition, it would be helpful if you can figure
out what *you* want. Think in terms of the final product, then work
backwards.
That said :-), I'm familiar with both PageMaker and FrameMaker (for
the Mac) and have converted files from Word to both PM & FM (as well
as from PM to FM). Before offering any advice, though, I'd need to
know more about the task at hand: how big/complex are the documents,
how will you produce final output, and how powerful is your platform?
Karen writes:
> I use WordPerfect for Windows, and am trying to learn FrameMaker, so I
> decided to import some documents from WP and edit them in FM. It's
> *very* difficult to edit imported documents in FM. I am by no means
> an expert on FM, but I have finally given up. It's 100% easier to
> retype a document in FM and format it there. So if you are considering
> changing formats, I think ease of re-editing should be a major consideration.
This is completely opposite my experience in converting from Word to
FrameMaker. At the time, I was also a Frame newbie, and it did take
some up-front work to set up templates to reflect what I wanted
(mainly because I was changing the document's *appearance* as well as
the software), but once that was settled, the actual conversion was
trivial. Editing the imported documents was no more difficult than
editing new documents typed directly in FM.
Paula, if you'd like any further info, feel free to email me directly.
If you do send to the list again, please include your net address --
I'm one of the unfortunate ones whose *%^!# gateway strips mail
headers.
-- Kelly
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kelly K. Hoffman Logicraft, Inc "Thaw ammunition
Technical Writer 22 Cotton Road before firing."
hoffman -at- logicraft -dot- com Nashua, NH 03063
