Re: QUESTION/ANN: Single-sourcing templates

[Dan Emory <danemory@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

At 08:05 AM 8/31/00 -0500, you wrote on the Free Framers List:
** My reply is also being posted to the FrameSGML and TECHWR-L lists.
>Hi all
>
>Quick question. If there were Frame templates set up to make single-sourcing
>go more quickly (e.g., very specific use tags, master pages, etc.) and they
>worked just fine for print, would you be interested in purchasing them? If
>so, what do you think is an appropriate charge.
>
>The templates have been developed and used internally for several years and
>have masters for
>
>Title Pages
>Copyright Pages
>TOC, LOF & LOT's
>Standard chapters
>Landscape chapters
>Appendices
>An Index
>
>You would own full rights to change the templates to suit your needs.
===================================================
I have a complete FM+SGML package for doing the same thing, and
much more. For many reasons (some obvious, some not), the use of structured 
documents
offers a much cleaner and more robust solution to single sourcing, the most 
obvious reason
being that documents can be stored in an SGML or XML database repository. 
This would allow
users to query the database, retrieve exactly what they want, and utilize
middleware (e.g., XSL or OminiMark) to deliver the retrieved information
in whatever form (SGML, XML, XHTML PDF, or whatever), formatted
the way they want it.

The package includes an EDD/DTD and templates of my own design, including
a complete import/export application allowing SGML import/export, or XML 
export
(including the production of cascading stylesheets for XML).

The EDD itself, with all its formatting rules, is more than 180 pages,
and is heavily commented. The EDD/DTD is highly generic (in the same way that
DocBook is generic), but without the mangled complexity of DocBook. Yet, the
structure is far more robust than DocBook. Also, unlike DocBook, extensive
metadata capabilities (in the form of attributes) were included for most 
elements,
with enriched metadata for elements used to encapsulate large chunks of 
structure
(e.g., minimum deliverable units and minimum reusable units).

The design has been developed and refined over a 6-year period. I use it
to produce almost everything I write (including proposals, articles,
memos, and large, complex technical documents), even when there is no 
requirement
to produce XML or SGML. The package includes extensive documentation
of the design, (all are structured documents that use the EDD).
The whole package, when zipped, was about 10 megabytes.

A description of the product (named DOVEDD) was included on the CD Sampler 
that came with
FrameMaker/FrameMaker+SGML V5.5. A site license (with full rights)
was offered for $1200.00. I also offered my services (at what I considered 
cut rates)
to customize the application for license purchasers. Guess how many sales 
that produced.

Answer: 0

After that experience, I ceased trying to sell it. However, since the EDD is
modularized, I've been able to use pieces of it in developing EDD's for
clients.

If you want to see some examples of documents I've produced with DOVEDD go to
Shlomo Perets's (the ultimate PDF/FrameMaker expert) web site:

http://www.microtype.com/

Click on the Resources link, and scroll down to "Dan Emory's Articles". All 
of the
documents are 3.0 PDFs.

The document entitled "FrameMaker+SGML Information Design" is
a description of the design concepts I used in developing DOVEDD.



====================
| Nullius in Verba |
====================
Dan Emory, Dan Emory & Associates
FrameMaker/FrameMaker+SGML Document Design & Database Publishing
Voice/Fax: 949-722-8971 E-Mail: danemory@primenet.com
10044 Adams Ave. #208, Huntington Beach, CA 92646
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