Document Management - Lessons Learned

[smurphy@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

Dear Framers,

Since so many people on this list asked me about the results of my   
document management software search, I thought I should pass on a couple   
of painful lessons learned in the past day or so. Sorry this is slightly   
off-topic; if not interested, delete now.

We selected RevisionMaster, and purchased a 5-seat license. However, in   
testing the product, I only tested it on my hard drive. When I went to   
set it up for real, I found that it would not function on the network   
server (at least, I could not place my libraries there) because the   
software creates folder and file names that exceed the 8.3 limitation of   
the Novell network we operate off of. I will have the pleasant task of   
explaining this to my boss when she returns from vacation this morning...   


There are some workarounds to this limitation, such as using my own   
computer (with its whopping 2 gigabyte hard drive <G>) as the place where   
libraries reside, also, Diehlgraphsoft (who makes RM) has been very   
receptive to returning our money...

I'm only slightly miffed at Diehlgraphsoft, who didn't make this   
limitation clear (and in fact seemed unaware of it until yesterday). The   
responsibility was mine, and the primary lesson learned was to test all   
software under the most realistic conditions possible.

I am wondering how many other people work at companies whose networks are   
so archaic as to not support long file names? Even using FrameMaker in   
this manner is difficult (gotta make sure those preferences are set to   
Windows 3.1 -- no *.book files allowed!) I don't appear to have any power   
to change this here -- "FrameMaker is a lousy product then, if it can't   
run properly on OUR network..." was the first reaction I received.

Lesson two: Carefully evaluate the technical and bureaucratic obstacles   
to getting work done that you will face before taking a new job!

Steve Murphy

P.S. I know that Netware can support long file names, but it is not an   
option here.


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