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Subject:Re: QUESTION: IBM Documentation Formats From:John Posada <posada -at- FAXSAV -dot- COM> Date:Thu, 4 Dec 1997 17:10:51 -0500
Denise...
I'm in a similar position. I am the lone writer and prior to joining, the company had no formal documentation program. (translated...I got to do it any way I wanted)
When I came on, they used Word 97 sometimes and UNIX-type of doc files mostly.
I brought in Frame 5.5
I added an documentation intranet site with FTP capability.
My documents, regardless of whether I create them in Word or Frame, when ready for distribution, are converted to both PDF and postscript.
People here with PCs can view using PDF (and download acrobat from the web site if they don't have it installed) and those on UNIX can download the postscript and view in Ghostscript or send directly to printer if the want.
You're with IBM. Do you have Notes? Make a Notes database and use that dB to distribute material. When I was Ernst & Young, everything was done through a Notes v.4 front-end.
John
-----Original Message-----
From: Denise Martin [SMTP:denisejm -at- US -dot- IBM -dot- COM]
Sent: Thursday, December 04, 1997 4:00 PM
To: TECHWR-L -at- LISTSERV -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU
Subject: Re: QUESTION: IBM Documentation Formats
The following note is directed to any IBM technical writers (Information
Developers as we're known here) on this list.
For some time it was my understanding that IBM was moving toward SGML for its
internal documentation. More recently I am hearing that some sites are using
an external vendor to convert Bookmaster documents to FrameMaker for PDF or
HTML output and others are using DynaText. The once desired SGML focus now
seems unclear.
As the sole Information Developer for my organization and the person
responsible for making our diverse documents available in a uniform manner, I
would very much like to know how other organizations are presenting their
internal documentation:
--Format (SGML, HTML, PDF, etc.)
--Access vehicle (web site, Lotus database,
etc.)
--Any other pertinent information
Please direct your comments to d_martin -at- vnet -dot- ibm -dot- com -dot- I'll be glad to
summarize any responses.
Denise Martin, d_martin -at- vnet -dot- ibm -dot- com
(914) 433-9650, Tieline: 293-9650, Fax: (914) 432-9608
M/S P535, 522 South Road, Poughkeepsie, NY 12601
