Re: Opinions about FM. Any basis in Fact?

["Elizabeth Ross" <beth@xxxxxxxxxx>]

At 08:09 AM 12/5/99 -0800, Charles Williams wrote:
>Hello,
>
>I have to buy tools for a tech pubs department. I am suggesting
that we
>buy FM. I use fM and believe it's a very valuable tool. I have
heard,
>however, these statements from someone who is also involved in
tech
>pubs. Is there any basis in fact for these opinions?
>
>* FrameMaker is only used by big companies on the West coast.

My company numbers less than 50 employees and we are located in
Toronto, Ontario. I wish it were the West coast....
My previous employer, ATI Technologies, also uses Frame, is in
Toronto, but has 1600+ employees.
I know several other large companies in Toronto are Frame shops.

>
>* Large companies are shifting away from Frame, so in a couple
years
>it's
>going to be dead.

ATI had no plans to shift from FrameMaker. V3 is looking at
FrameMaker + SGML.

>
>* Print shops don't even know what you're talking about if you
mention
>FrameMaker.

Some, not all.

>
>* He uses MS Word and claims never to have had a problem with
formatting
>jumping around on him all the time, like headers and styles. He
also
>claims
>never to have had problems with long documents, as long as 600
pages. He
>claims Frame has equal problems.
>
>* Most of his documentation is going online these days, so
Frame isn't
>necessary.

SGML. 'Nuff said.

>
>Regards,
>Charles Williams

Here's my $.02!

Elizabeth Ross
Technical Writer
V3 Semiconductor Corp.
beth@vcubed.com
http://www.vcubed.com



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