atw: Re: New Software for Documentation Department

Just a word of caution first, John B.

(Hope I am not teaching you to suck eggs here.)
The PC is not a Mac and, if you are used to working
exclusively in a Mac environment, which gives you WYSIWYG,
it is going to be quite a transition to what I call
WYGINWWAF (What You Get Is Not What Was Asked For or
"wigginwaf") WinDoze way of working.

You will no longer have a system that is PostScript from
display to page (the way that Macs used to be, at least)
and you do not get anything like the same kind of controls
over or accuracy of images on the PC.

Things might seem faster on the PC, but will be far less
reliable than on the Mac.

Just be sure to back up your work regularly and allow
contingencies in your estimates for moments of
brain burnout.

...and remember, "TrueType" is not.

That said, I use the PC every day and it is the devil I
know and now quite like, but coming around to this state
of mind after working with an intuitive computer (for me,
the Amiga) takes some personal mental adjustment.

Best of luck.

HTH.

Cheers,

Michael

Michael E. Granat
Qualified Good Tech Writer Dude
Fellowship Of The Ring Of Tech Writers, Yeah Baby!
T/as Write Ideas
E-mail: mailto:writeideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Web: <http://home.pacific.net.au/~megranat/>
Without Prejudice.
E&OE
Have a Nice Day!

----- Message from johnbennett@xxxxxxxxxxx ---------
   Date: Tue, 12 Jul 2005 08:46:39 +1200
   From: John Bennett <johnbennett@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Reply-To: austechwriter@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: atw: Re: New Software for Documentation Department
     To: austechwriter@xxxxxxxxxxxxx


Many thanks to you all for the time and effort put into your replies.

There seems to be a general consensus that the functions available with a
single sourcing package like AuthoIT do not readily cover the flexibility in
layout and design of a DTP package like InDesign.

I am brand new to the single sourcing environment, but have been using a DTP
package (QuarkXpress on a mac with Illustrator and Photoshop) to produce data
sheets and manuals for the past nine years.

I think initially I will go with the Adobe CS2 package, as I will get vector
and graphic software I am familiar with. I don't think the transition from
Quark to InDesign should be too difficult. I may try GoLive as the Help and
webpage editor, but that isn't an immediate worry. If I get in quick with CS2
they might let me get AuthorIT at a later stage. It looks like the PC I have
will need a series upgrade to match the system requirements for CS2.

Any other recommendations will be greatly appreciated.

Regards
John Bennett
Electronic Navigation Ltd
Email: john@xxxxxxxxx
Phone: +64 9 373 5595
Fax: +64 9 379 5655
Web: www.enl.co.nz

--
Sent Via PCNet Webmail - http://www.pcnet.co.nz

<snip>

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