Re: FrameMaker Selling Points

[Jay Smith <jay@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Randy,

Think POWER.  If you guys are doing the work for free, the company
should buy YOUR copy of FM and THEIR copy and be delighted.  If they
want to use Word, they will have to be UNhappy with Word results.

I know that my answer is not really to your question, but your
"client" should not be fussy about the cost of FM.  They may very
legitimately not want to have yet another software product to
maintain, however, they will find so many other uses for it that they
will be happy.

When you get done with their project, I get you for the next 65
years.  I'll pay double.

-- 
Jay Smith

e-mail: jay@jaysmith.com

The Press for History(tm), The Press for Education(tm), 
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Randy C. Smart wrote:
> 
> My apologies if my question is misdirected. This list is well-focused on
> specific technical matters but I'm hoping you can give my partner and I your
> sage advice.
> 
> Question
> -----------
> What advantages are there in a FrameMaker to PDF document that would inspire
> a company to give up future control of the document to a contract FrameMaker
> writer?
> 
> Why I Ask
> -------------
> Myself and another student are contracting to write a manual for a small
> computer company--for no charge--to gain the experience we need as
> professional technical writers. Basically the computer company wants us to
> "techwrite" the manual (applying design and rhetorical principles) and then
> give it back to the engineer to update in-house when they make future
> revisions. The engineer did a fair job with Word in the past but now they
> want a professional look and can't do it themselves. We've agreed that a PDF
> file with bookmarks would be the best final product.
> 
> To build the PDF file, they prefer we use MS Word because they don't want to
> give up control for future revision or buy and train on FM. If we do it in
> FM, we would have to give them a matching document in a Word file format.
> Much more work for us.
> 
> I know FM as well as MS Word. I prefer to do the project in FM because it is
> a superior tool for the writer. I don't want to do it in both FM and Word. I
> wouldn't choose to build it in Word. Word seems to do anything Frame will do
> with the help of other tools like PhotoShop, etc. My partner told me there
> is even a plug-in at PDFZone.com that will make PDF bookmarks from a Word
> file.
> 
> What is likely to inspire them to want me to use FM over Word? Or is Word
> the best for this project?
> 
> Randy C. Smart
> www.thegrid.net/rsmart
> Technical Writer
> Information Designed with  Plain Language

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