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  • Aug. 16, 2011 2:44 p.m. z31maniac SuperDork

    Started my new job yesterday and my first task is to determine what software package we will use. The director has given me free choice, since I'm the only Tech Writer in the dept.

    I have XML/CMS experience from MerCruiser with Xmetal and Vasont. I really like the interface in Xmetal as it allows you to focus on content with pre-determined formats. But this system was in place when I arrived there, so no issues in setting up the formats, etc.

    We do traditional product documentation with lots of text and numbered lists, however, they don't tend to be the LARGE documents I've worked with in the past. The avg manual here is less than 40-45 pages.

    Basically my quandry comes down to Framemaker 10 vs InDesign 5.5.

    And finding comparisons between the most recent versions......well my Google-Fu has failed me and I turn to you.

    My main question/s revolve around if InDesign 5.5 has added back in the functionality it was missing against Framemaker when it comes to Technical documents.

    I really like what I've read about MadCap Flare as well, however, we don't need the additional functionality at this time and given our line of work I can't see any time in the future we would.

  • DrBoost

    Aug. 16, 2011 2:51 p.m. DrBoost SuperDork

    I'm a Curriculum Developer, very similar to tech writing, and I've been a tech writer for years before this position.

    I've used FrameMaker AND Indesigh CS5 in the last 60 days.
    FrameMaker will do anything InDesign can do, but it will bake you it's b!tch. FrameMaker is the least intuitive program I've EVER used. Adobe doesn't even support it. The help functions are a joke, I had to google everything. I like InDesign better than the other programs I've used.
    This isn't because I was biased towards InDesing. I used Arbor Text before InDesign or FrameMaker.

    Now, what functionality was it missing in relation to FM? Adobe is actually making FM mirror ID now. I think they're making the two similar enough so they can ditch FM and move those few folks into ID.

  • oldtin

    Aug. 16, 2011 3:00 p.m. oldtin Dork

    Sounds like framemaker might be better. Adobe is still keeping a separation - probably protecting framemaker from being totally cannibalized by indesign. FM still handles long-structured docs better - But give consideration to how you're going to publish your info - web, CD/media or traditional print. If you're heading toward more interactive, give indesign a second look. Also supposed to be some applications that can integrate FM and indesign - maybe schema st4???

    edit - I'm more familiar with InDesign (learned when it was still called Pagemaker). It used to handle long documents better than it does now. Just did an 80 page book with InDesign that worked fine.

  • Aug. 16, 2011 6:11 p.m. z31maniac SuperDork

    We will really only ever need to output PDF and even then, mostly printed PDF's.

    We build winches and software control systems for the crane/winch interaction. So while the hardware itself is usually very similar from crane to crane, the software/interface/etc are all custom to the end user.

    So alot of stuff we do is a one-off type project, but because of the similar hardware, there is a lot of potential for reuse, I believe.

    There are also translation costs as well.

    I really like the MadCap Suite, and i'd like to learn such a powerful set of programs for my own experience, but I don't think there is a way to justify that much HP for the relatively simple needs we have.

    I'm really leaning away from Framemaker, as my manager and I have already spoken about how to grow my position, especially in regard to Sales/Marketing, that I feel like Indesign/MadCap could provide a truly powerful single-source solution.

    Hmmm, I guess I just narrowed it down!

  • Aug. 16, 2011 10:55 p.m. 93gsxturbo HalfDork

    I used to use ArborText for all my John Deere tech writing. I wrote service manuals for the yellow stuff for 2 years before leaving for greener pastures.

    From my years of coding experience, I would just type the whole thing out in notepad half the time and blow it into arbortext at the end. Really pissed off my supervisor. It was easier to do XML tags in Notepad than Arbortext half the time with all the janky Deere plugins we had to use.

  • DrBoost

    Aug. 17, 2011 6:53 a.m. DrBoost SuperDork

    I'd really tell you to stay away from FM, it's really that much of a pain. Now, I never did what I consider large docs with either. FM, I did docs of 60 pages or so. ID, I did up to 150 page docs. Now with ArborText, I did 400-600 page docs.
    But like I said, FM is the most non-intuitive program ever used.

  • Aug. 17, 2011 7:47 a.m. z31maniac SuperDork

    Anything will be better than the last job.

    Using Word to put together documents sometimes 1000+ pages.

 
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