[driven]

(Disclaimer: I'm using both of these products on Windows, but I thought you folks here might know more about them than a typical Windows group)

What is the advantage of FrameMaker vs. Microsoft Word?

I'm responsible for authoring/maintaining a few thousand pages of documentation that for whatever reason is stored in a bunch of FrameMaker files. (No particular file contains more than 30 pages ... they are all linked together at print-time)

It seems more difficult to use than word, less intuitive, and (in places) more buggy.

Before I make myself look stupid by suggesting to someone that I move the docs to Word can someone give me some possible reasons why I'm maintaining these files in FrameMaker?
(To make matters worse, the only machine I have with a license to FrameMaker is a Toshiba Tecra laptop with a 14" display.) <-- At least with Word I have a license on my Mac. <GRIN>

[cowerd]

framemaker doesn't crash.
framemaker has proper style sheets and character styles.
framemaker allows conditional text.
framemaker handles more graphics formats, including .PDF--properly.
framemaker does automatic indexing, table of contents when setup through stylesheets.
framemaker will also generate a list of figures.

in short frame is built for long documents, and word sucks ass when dealing with long documents. save yourself the trouble and use frame. in this case the software tool matters more than the os.

[driven]

Originally posted by cowerd:
framemaker doesn't crash.
framemaker has proper style sheets and character styles.
framemaker allows conditional text.
framemaker handles more graphics formats, including .PDF--properly.
framemaker does automatic indexing, table of contents when setup through stylesheets.
framemaker will also generate a list of figures.

in short frame is built for long documents, and word sucks ass when dealing with long documents. save yourself the trouble and use frame. in this case the software tool matters more than the os.

I don't think we are using any of those features. (Seriously!)

I'm figuring that there must be some motivation to using it, I'm just trying to find out what.

As for long documents I wrote a dissertation in Word (300+ pages) without too much difficulty so I assume you are talking about longer than that.

Thanks for the input. I appreciate it.

[BikeRidinMan]

Stick with FrameMaker. This software is much better than M$ Word in
handling large page count (technical) documents. Take the time to learn FrameMaker...you'll be glad you did.

-BRM

[Millennium]

If I recall correctly, FrameMaker for Mac was discontinued before an OSX version was ever released. A real shame, that; it was a good program.

[driven]

Originally posted by BikeRidinMan:
Stick with FrameMaker. This software is much better than M$ Word in
handling large page count (technical) documents. Take the time to learn FrameMaker...you'll be glad you did.

-BRM

Thanks.
Any recommendations for resources? (Online CBTs, a particular book that you like?)

[driven]

Originally posted by Millennium:
If I recall correctly, FrameMaker for Mac was discontinued before an OSX version was ever released. A real shame, that; it was a good program.

What's the current "large technical document" editor of choice these days?

[Sven G]

LyX (essentially, a graphical frontend for LaTeX) could be a viable FrameMaker alternative, on OS X:

[BikeRidinMan]

You expounded thusly:

|Thanks.
|Any recommendations for resources? (Online CBTs, a particular book that you like?)

I do have a third-party instruction manual for the current version of Framemaker. Unfortunately, it is at my office. I will post the information on Tuesday the 6th. The book is fairly comprehensive and comes with a CD. I found it on half.com for approx. 20 bucks.

Adobe no longer supports Framemaker on the Mac platform. This is most unfortunate. However, you did state the files are/would be authored on the windoze platform. Given that, Frame is definitely the way to go. Frame handles table of contents, indexing, cross-referencing, and other publishing tasks much better than Word. Try accomplishing any of these tasks using Word and you'll be setting yourself up for a nightmare. Good luck!

-BRM

[Love Calm Quiet]

For OS X, does InDesign come close to working for book-length documents with index, etc?

[chabig]

FrameMaker encourages the building of structured documents. It is not just a word processor, like Word is. In Word, you pretty much use WYSIWYG formatting, while in FrameMaker you preplan the structure and it is thereafter enforced.

Chris

[BikeRidinMan]

You expounded thusly:

|Thanks.
|Any recommendations for resources? (Online CBTs, a particular book that you like?)

The book I recommend for learning FrameMaker is:

"Adobe FrameMaker 7.0 Classroom in a Book"
by Adobe Press
ISBN 0-321-13168-1
www.adobe.com/adobepress/main.html

You should be able to find it on line in used condition. The book should
include a CD-Rom based tutorial.

Good luck.

- BRM