Author-it [was: Single Sourcing tools]

[M. Palmieri]

Dear Christine,

Thanks for the additional information.

It seems that the ability of multiple authors to
access Flare files stored in a source control server
is different than the use of shared topics in
Author-it.

[As I mentioned, Flare can be used together with
source control of Microsoft Team Foundation
Server(TFS). With this, you check out files that you
want to edit (copying it to a local  folder). Checked
out files appear locked for other users. After you
have edited them, you check the files in and other
users can access them again.]

What I have observed in Author-it is that a topic (or
part of a topic) can be placed on a shared directory,
and then 2 or more authors can drag and drop the topic
into one of their TOCs. If the shared topic is
changed, the changes are propagated to wherever the
topic is used in multiple authors’ table of content
structures. There is not a check-in/check-out process.

Of course it seems that shared topics need to be
planned for carefully, and from what I understand some
users recommend giving a limited number of authors
access to the shared topics. Authors using shared
topics could discuss in their team what kind of change
is needed to a shared topic before a change is
actually made.

The benefit seems to be that once content for a shared
topic is decided on, the content is consistent no
matter what author uses it.

Best regards,
Marie