RE: FrameMaker's Future

["Stevens, Ananda \(GE Healthcare\)" <Karen.Stevens@xxxxxx>]

> I can see the use of XML for publishing highly repetitive 
> information, such as a catalog (repetitive in formatting, not 
> content). I fail to see how it would help with somewhat more creative 
> documents, such as a large software manual, a technical standard and 
> so forth.

Right now I'm working on an installation manual. One installer, two options, two supported hardware platforms = four chapters in this book that have a LOT of overlapping text. I can't quite figure out how I'd use a database for this book, since much of the rest of the doc is non-repetitive. But for these four chapters, it'd be great to use XML to tag various sections as applying to one, two, or all four variants. Right now I'm staring at either using conditional text and file insets, or "if you're doing x, go see this section" cross-references in the midst of the procedure, or "for installations of type y, follow sections 1, 2, 3, 7, and 9" and the like -- when what I'd really like to do is prompt the reader for the installation type and "automagically" present the appropriate content. What's out there that supports that type of experience for the end user? 

K. Ananda Stevens
GE Healthcare 

T 847 704-8626
D *685-8626 
E karen.stevens@xxxxxx 
www.gehealthcare.com 

------------

"This email is best viewed with a proportional font such as Courier." --Adobe Licensing



-----Original Message-----
From: David Crowe [mailto:David.Crowe@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]
Sent: Thu, January 13, 2005 2:29 PM
To: Stevens, Ananda (GE Healthcare); Free Framers List
Subject: RE: FrameMaker's Future


I can see the use of XML for publishing highly repetitive 
information, such as a catalog (repetitive in formatting, not 
content). I fail to see how it would help with somewhat more creative 
documents, such as a large software manual, a technical standard and 
so forth.

If I wanted to do something like that I'd use a database, in fact I 
already do. FileMaker is my choice. I can output nicely formatted 
pages designed for print, or reams of html.

But if I was writing a book (which I might do) or thousand-page long 
technical standards (which I do) or a newsletter (which I also do) I 
don't think I'd want to do it in XML!

- David Crowe





** To unsubscribe, send a message to majordomo@xxxxxxxxx **
** with "unsubscribe framers" (no quotes) in the body.   **