RE: [inframe] Single-sourcing = myth? (and other topics)

[Dan Emory <danemory@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

If that's the main gist of the article, then I also agree with the author 
that the solution to single sourcing is to put all the chunks in an XML or 
SGML repository, and then select, assemble and format the extracted chunks 
in whatever manner is appropriate to each different delivery requirement. 
Any other approach (such as creating all derivatives from a single 
FrameMaker file, and then exporting that document in various formats) leads 
to far too many compromises

As a point of reference, I find the documentation package for FrameMaker 6 
to be one of the worst examples around of both printed and on-line 
documentation for a complex software package, regardless of whether or not 
it was produced by some sort of "single-sourcing solution." The on-line 
help lacks sufficient depth in almost all cases, and is worthless for most 
users. The printed documentation is also depth-deficient.
At 04:05 PM 7/18/02 -0700, Jim Stauffer wrote:
>I just read the 'single sourcing' article and tend to agree with the author
>(Jane Hemmi).
>
>The main point she's making is that print and online are such completely
>different mediums, how can one source document serve both? Printed docs are
>organized in linear progression; online help is disparate information chunks
>linked by hypertext. Printed docs read best with serif fonts; online help
>reads best with san serif. Printed docs are mostly B&W; online help uses
>color as part of its structure. And online help provides much more
>flexibility in organization and presentation.
>
>Her conclusion is that true single sourcing, that meets the unique criteria
>for each medium, would have to come from a "tag-enriched repository of raw
>data." Like SGML?
>
>I have limited experience creating online help, but that experience was as
>described by Ms. Hemmi. I copy&paste chunks of information from a
>print-document file, change the font, add some color, and link to other
>chunks. Maybe some of you more experienced online writers can point out the
>error of our ways.
>
>
>Jim Stauffer
>Sr. Technical Writer
>BeamReach Networks
>Sunnyvale, CA
>www.beamreachnetworks.com
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Bill Swallow [mailto:wswallow@nycap.rr.com]
>Sent: Wednesday, July 17, 2002 2:39 PM
>To: framers@frameusers.com; framers@omsys.com; hatt@yahoogroups.com;
>inframe@yahoogroups.com; singlesourcing-mgmt@yahoogroups.com;
>stc-mohawk@yahoogroups.com; stc-single-sourcing-l@lists.stc.org;
>Techwr-L; wwp-users@yahoogroups.com; albany-framers@egroups.com
>Subject: [inframe] Single-sourcing = myth? (and other topics)
>
>
>Am I alone here, or was anyone else really taken aback by the
>July/August 2002 Intercom article "Differentiating Online Help from
>Printed Documentation"?
>
>I *KNOW* single-sourcing isn't a myth, as I've done it and know many
>others who do it with great success. I guess I'm just amazed that such
>misinformation would get past the editors of the magazine and become
>published word, especially given the STC now has a brand new
>single-sourcing SIG.
>
>The article is full of sweeping generalizations and misinformation. It
>mentions "myths", yet counters them with very weak evidence and,
>ironically, more information stemming from age-old misinformation.
>
>To go into detail in this e-mail would result in a passage longer than
>the original article. If you get Intercom and have read the article,
>please feel free to comment. I don't think I am alone in thinking that
>this article needs to be addressed very quickly before more
>misinformation is communicated through the industry.
>
>B I L L   S W A L L O W
>Information Design & Development Professional
>tel/fax: 518.371.1867    wswallow@nycap.rr.com
>List Owner: HATT, WWP-Users, InFrame
>Co-Moderator: SingleSourcing-Mgmt
>WebWorks Wizard     Editor of InFrame Magazine
>
>
>
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====================
| 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
177 Riverside Ave., STE F, #1151, Newport Beach, CA 92663
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