What tools to buy?

[James Barrow]

>Pete wrote:

>Hi Everyone!

>My boss came into my office yesterday with the following question: Do you
>have any hardware/software requests for the coming year?

>I am one of two tech writers for a pretty large software company. The only
>experience we both have in tech writing is with this company. The only two
>software packages we use is Microsoft Office and RoboHelp. 

>If your boss came to you with that same question, what would you say? What
>are the must-have software packages in a Tech Writing department?

Hi Pete,

I'll give this one a try.  Keep in mind that you are in Europe and I am not,
so I don't like you very much.  Can we trade places? :^)

Since I have to get going, I'll include links to what I think you may want
without any detailed explanations.

Adobe Acrobat is perfect for distributing your work:
http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/

Although I've used RoboHelp, I think that FrameMaker is a much better
product:
http://www.adobe.com/products/framemaker/

I couldn't imagine using anything else for the graphics in my documentation:
http://www.techsmith.com/snagit.asp


In case you need to produce online help.  If WebWorks was any easier to use,
it would produce your content for you:
http://www.webworks.com/

I just started using this to produce online tutorials.  I like it:
http://www.softwarecasa.com/pprod/212402dd.htm?gclid=CJeKr_6smYgCFShCYwodDwk
gXA