How many FM users are there?

[Maxwell Hoffmann]

Hello Gillian,

Before answering your questions as best I can, anyone who is interested in testing the beta version of the next release of FrameMaker should send an email to this address:
framemaker-beta at adobe.com

Adobe has not officially announced what the release will be called, but as a beta-tester I can tell you that it definitely is not just a "point" release. To me, the functionality is substantial enough to warrant a "major release" status.

Several Adobe employees at the STC conference indicated that this new release will be shipping before the end of the year. Incidentally, several Adobe engineers who work on FrameMaker were present soliciting feedback from conference attendees, and I was very impressed with their grasp of the product. It was clear that these engineers had already read through many of the wish lists posted on this mail list to get a sense of priorities. (Naturally, the next release won't deliver "everything.") I felt that Adobe showed a solid commitment to FrameMaker by the amount of staff and resources that they invested in this year's Annual STC Conference.

By the way, at one of the sneak peeks Adobe also showed the much improved import of FrameMaker documents into the upcoming version of RoboHelp. 

If anyone else has questions about the next release, my advice is to send a request to "framemaker-beta at adobe.com" that you would like to become a beta tester.


Maxwell Hoffmann
Manager of Consulting & Training Solutions
ENLASO Corporation
T: 805 494 9571 * F: 805 435 1920
E: mhoffmann at translate.com ♦ ENLASO Corporation provides quality enterprise language solutions and exceeds client expectations through continuing research, development, and implementation of effective localization processes and technologies.  Visit: www.translate.com for more information or to subscribe to our complimentary localization newsletter. 
http://www.linkedin.com/in/maxwellhoffmann

-----Original Message-----
From: Gillian Flato [mailto:gflato at nanometrics.com] 
Sent: Wednesday, May 16, 2007 8:43 AM
To: Maxwell Hoffmann; Diane Gaskill; framers at lists.frameusers.com
Subject: RE: How many FM users are there?

Max,

Any idea of when the next version of Frame will be released? Will it be 7.3 or 8.0? 

-Gillian 


-----Original Message-----
From: framers-bounces+gflato=nanometrics.com at lists.frameusers.com [mailto:framers-bounces+gflato=nanometrics.com at lists.frameusers.com] On Behalf Of Maxwell Hoffmann
Sent: Tuesday, May 15, 2007 8:45 PM
To: Diane Gaskill; framers at lists.frameusers.com
Subject: RE: How many FM users are there?

Hi Diane,

[snip]

Incidentally, I had a "sneak peak" of the next release of FrameMaker at a session today and I got permission from the PM to share this much: DITA will be bundled with the next release and end the 5 minutes or so that it takes to download the DITA toolkit. Feedback from STC attendees who have seen the brief sneak peaks of the "next" FrameMaker has been overwhelmingly positive.

Maxwell Hoffmann
Manager of Consulting & Training Solutions ENLASO Corporation
T: 805 494 9571 * F: 805 435 1920
E: mhoffmann at translate.com ♦ ENLASO Corporation provides quality enterprise language solutions and exceeds client expectations through continuing research, development, and implementation of effective localization processes and technologies.  Visit: www.translate.com for more information or to subscribe to our complimentary localization newsletter. 
http://www.linkedin.com/in/maxwellhoffmann

-----Original Message-----
From: Diane Gaskill [mailto:dgcaller at earthlink.net]
Sent: Tuesday, May 15, 2007 6:09 PM
To: Diane Gaskill; Maxwell Hoffmann; framers at lists.frameusers.com
Subject: RE: How many FM users are there?

Hi Max,

The PTC rep told me today that FM DITA is proprietary and not compatible with anything else.  Is this true?  She also told me that the PTC version of DITA is "standard" (whatever that means).

One of our divisions in Japan has decided to go with AT.  We are leaning toward structured FM.  I was hoping to be able to exchange XMS files between SFM and AT.  Some of the comments (which you probably read) on the framers list seemed to say that I could, but now I am not sure.  Can you shed any light on this?

Thanks a bunch.

Diane