Frame vs. InDesign

[John Cook]

On 4/1/07, David Neeley <dbneeley at gmail.com> wrote:
> I have used both -- although obviously not the CS3 version as yet --
> and I like both of them. However, InDesign needs a great boost in its
> XML abilities for me to take it very seriously as a documentation app.
>
> I am also reluctant to embrace InDesign's great layout flexibility to
> tech writers who should be concentrating more on the content than the
> presentation through a major part of the process. (I have worked in
> marketing communications as well as in tech writing, so I have a bit
> of a foot in both worlds.)
>
> David

I used Frame 6 and 7 for nearly five years in a Medical Devices
environment for my vocation, and loved the power of the application.

I use InDesign CS2 to produce a free online space opera e-zine in my
'free time' (ping me offline for the address if you're interested).
InDesign is phenomenal for this sort of publication.  It is powerful,
easy to use, and is gives me so many tools to meld text and graphic
elements together with the only limit being my own creativity.

I publish the magazine every two weeks, and started off in Word
(because I had to start /somewhere/).  However, after two nearly 40
hour weeks wrestling with Word for issues One and Two, I picked up CS2
and learned enough of InDesign to make the transition on-the-fly
between issues Two and Three without the gentle reader being the
wiser.

As much as I love InDesign for producing the magazine, I would not
consider using it for the sort of long, text-based docs that Frame
handles so very well.   I have no idea what the new CS3 flavor of
InDesign holds.  Perhaps there will come a day when InDesign takes the
place of FrameMaker for technical documentation, but as of CS2, that
day has not yet arrived (imo, ymmv).
-- 
John Cook
Technical Writer / Help Author
john dot cook at gmail dot com