Re: (2) authoring tools

[Chuck Banks <chuck -at- ASL -dot- DL -dot- NEC -dot- COM>]

For Ken d'Albenas, et al,

        Ken, authoring tools are a class of software package
used to generate Computer Based Training programs or online
hypertext documents and help systems.  Authoring tools are
actually a class of program generator, a software system that
simplifies or at least automates the job of creating new
computer programs.

        Some authoring tools I have known are TenCore,
Icon Author, and The Educator.  All of these tools are used
to generate Computer Based Training (CBT) or Computer-Assisted
Instruction (CAI) programs.

        Like you, I've seen the term authoring tool used to
refer to some SGML tools.  How valid this use of the term is
will be up to consumers to decide.

        BTW, "real" programmers don't use authoring tools.
"Real" programmers use Computer-Aided Software Engineering
(CASE) tools.  What's the difference?  As nearly as I can
determine, authoring tools generate programs in vendor
proprietary programming languages, while CASE tools generate
programs in accepted "standard" programming languages
(e.g., PASCAL, C, etc.)

I hope this helps.

Best Regards!

Chuck Banks

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|\\   |  ||          //              Chuck Banks
| \\  |  ||_______  ||               Senior Technical Writer
|  \\ |  ||         ||               NEC America, Inc.
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