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Framemaker or Interleaf as online help systems: advantages
Subject:Framemaker or Interleaf as online help systems: advantages From:Susan Fowler <sfowler -at- EJV -dot- COM> Date:Fri, 15 Apr 1994 09:19:36 EDT
Information:
The advantage of using a high-end word-processing/desktop publishing system for
online help development is that word processors are relatively easy to work
with and "tool-rich"--spell checkers, thesauruses (sp?), indexers, template
design tools, change control, etc.
The advantage of using Framemaker 4, specifically, is that Frame4 runs on a
dozen platforms--Mac, IBM DOS, Windows, UNIX, DEC, etc. The files are
interchangeable among the platforms. (I've created online hypertexted reference
books--took about 2 hours to figure out. Framemaker says you can also create
context-sensitive help with their additional application programming interface.
Anyone try this yet?)
Interleaf is also available on many platforms. An additional advantage of
Interleaf's WorldView package is that you can display files in their native
format (WordPerfect, Mac Word, etc.), annotate them, and return them to their
originators--still in their native format. (I saw it with my own eyes! Yes, I
believe in magic!)
Opinion:
So, if the problem one is trying to solve is cross-platform compatibility and
"one-source" documents, why struggle with SGML? Volunteer for the SGML
standards committees, maybe, but don't be a pioneer.
