DITA possible for start-up/lone writer?

[Joe Malin]

Excellent points, Katie. Translation into other languages is not yet an
issue for us, but I am aware that it's one of XML documentation's big
selling points. Thanks for your advice!
 

TuVox, Inc.


19050 Pruneridge Avenue Suite 150, Cupertino, CA 95014-0715

Joe Malin	
Technical Writer	
(408)625.1623	
jmalin at tuvox.com	
www.tuvox.com <http://www.tuvox.com/> 	
The views expressed in this document are those of the sender, and do not
necessarily reflect those of TuVox, Inc.	
 


________________________________

	From: Katie Kearns [mailto:katie.kearns at gmail.com] 
	Sent: Thursday, March 02, 2006 1:26 PM
	To: Joe Malin; HATT at yahoogroups.com;
framers at lists.frameusers.com; techwr-l at lists.techwr-l.com
	Subject: Re: DITA possible for start-up/lone writer?
	
	
	On 3/2/06, Joe Malin <jmalin at tuvox.com> wrote: 
	

		
		*       re-use, to avoid duplication
		*       multi-channel delivery: ability to re-structure
help systems
		into documents
		*       localization/customization: ability to tailor
documentation to
		individual customers 
		*       quick, iterative delivery: respond quickly to
emerging needs

	
	Don't forget the cost savings of localizing XML vs localizing
something like Frame. Our tranlsation company charges about $10 a page
to re-format from RTF back to FrameMaker. Translating XML is loads
cheaper. Factor that into your ROI. ;) 
	 


		I know XML and I've used it with structured FM since
FM6+SGML. I'm also
		familiar with the conversion issues. I'm technically
savvy (I'm a former 
		software engineer). However, I don't know everything
there is to know
		about DITA or XSLTs.


	I can't remember if you're a WebWorks user or not, but if you're
an engineer who tweaks WebWorks templates, you probably won't have much
trouble with XSLT. I know some developers who just cannot cope with it,
since it's a functional language instead of a procedural language and
they couldn't deal without variables or for loops ;) -- but if you're
used to applying templates with something like WebWorks (or similar),
you already have the right mindset. If you continue to use Frame, you
don't even have to worry about leanring XSL-FO (which is a bit of a
headache), because you should be able to use Frame to create PDFs. 
	 


		Does it make sense for a lone writer in a startup to use
DITA? Will I
		need lots of high-priced consultant help? Am I walking
into a morass? I 
		have to tell you that I think DITA would help us, but
I'm *really*
		unfamiliar with trying to pioneer such an idea in a
small company that
		wants to save money anywhere it can.


	I'd say it's easier than trying to implement it in a group of
two dozen people down the road? :D I don't use DITA myself, and there
are a few caveats with it... but a lot of my problems with it have to do
with the fact that it really won't fit the structure we need to move
over legacy docs the way we want to. 
	
	It probably depends on how much time you have to dedicate to
setting up whatever systems you need -- like something for source
control! and some way to publish it to whatever destinations you need...
as well as your specific requirements for things like customized
documentation (it's a lot harder to generate it on the fly, than to just
be able to generate three different canned versions you can post on a
website or send to specific customers). 
	

	But then, I think XML is pretty awesome stuff, and while I do
not recommend it for everyone, it would be a whole lot easier to
implement it when you don't have 20 other people to come to consensus
with about what the structure should look like.... 
	
	
	-Katie