Using PDF Converter with Frame

[Kelly McDaniel]

TCO (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Total_cost_of_ownership)

TCO analysis originated with the Gartner Group in 1987 [1] and has since
been developed in a number of different methodologies and software
tools. A TCO assessment ideally offers a final statement reflecting not
only the cost of purchase but all aspects in the further use and
maintenance of the equipment, device, or system considered. This
includes the costs of training support personnel and the users of the
system, costs associated with failure or outage (planned and unplanned),
diminished performance incidents (i.e. if users are kept waiting), costs
of security breaches (in loss of reputation and recovery costs), costs
of disaster preparedness and recovery, floor space, electricity,
development expenses, testing infrastructure and expenses, quality
assurance, boot image control, marginal incremental growth,
decommissioning, e-waste handling, and more.

Therefore TCO is sometimes referred to as total cost of operation. When
incorporated in any financial benefit analysis (e.g., ROI, IRR, EVA,
ROIT, RJE) TCO provides a cost basis for determining the economic value
of that investment.

See also Full Cost Accounting.

I'm sorry, but as a former Purchasing Manager and a current software
technical writer, I think your purchasing department has made decision
that isn't supported by conventional accounting practices.

> -----Original Message-----
> From: framers-bounces at lists.frameusers.com [mailto:framers-
> bounces at lists.frameusers.com] On Behalf Of Yves Barbion
> Sent: Thursday, January 24, 2008 7:51 AM
> To: Emmy A.
> Cc: framers at lists.frameusers.com
> Subject: Re: Using PDF Converter with Frame
> 
> Hi Emmy,
> 
> cost-cutting? Well, the purchasing dept will need to have a word with
> the tech doc and the HR departments. Indeed, there are inexpensive or
> even free PDF converters available out there, but apart from the
> purchasing price, you also need to take the notorious "hidden costs"
> into account, i.e. the time people are wasting "fiddling" with these
> tools and trying to figure out how they can get a "decent" PDF out of
> it. Decent meaning things like:
> 
>     * Bookmarks
>     * All hyperlinks working
>     * High-quality graphics
>     * Good font embedding/subsetting
>     * Print-ready, or maybe even "Enfocus Certified"
(www.enfocus.com).
> 
> Kind regards
> 
> Yves Barbion
> Documentation Architect
> Adobe-Certified FrameMaker Instructor
> ____________________________________
> 
> Scripto bvba
> Asselsstraat 65
> 9031 Gent
> Belgium
> T: +32 494 12 01 89
> F: +32 9 366 50 23
> BTW (VAT) BE 0886.192.394
> skype: yves.barbion
> ____________________________________
> 
> 
> 
> Emmy A. wrote:
> > Hello Everyone,
> >
> > We use several versions of Frame, from 6+SGML through
> > Frame 8, to create software manuals. We have been
> > using Frame for many years, but my company's
> > purchasing department recently asked us to stop
> > ordering Acrobat and to instead try using a product
> > called PDF Converter. Cost-cutting.
> >
> > Because I was asked to, I tested PDF Converter and
> > found that it does not recognize Frame files. After
> > fiddling around with it, I was able to print an
> > individual chapter of one manual to the PDF Converter
> > printer, which resulted in a PDF of that chapter, but
> > the PDF had no bookmarks or hyperlinks. I believe the
> > product may be able to create bookmarks but they have
> > to be done manually (imagine doing this at production
> > time), but on the topic of hyperlinks, the included
> > documentation is silent.
> >
> > The product also claims that PDFs created from it can
> > be edited, but it appears it does so by converting the
> > PDF to a Word file. I don't see the appeal of this
> > when the source was created in Frame. What am I
> > missing? In any case, I was unsuccessful in creating a
> > PDF of an entire manual that resembled the manuals we
> > have been producing successfully for many years using
> > Acrobat.
> >
> > However, I am still tasked with justifying why we need
> > Acrobat. Therefore, if anyone out there is using PDF
> > Converter to create PDF files from Frame, and you are
> > able to create PDF versions of multi-chapter books
> > that contain hundreds of hyperlinks, automatically
> > generated bookmarks, and all the other features
> > standard with Acrobat, would you please be kind enough
> > to write to me and tell me how you do it?
> >
> > Or, if anyone has made a comparison of the features of
> > PDF Converter to Acrobat in the tasks required to
> > create complex manuals (automatic bookmarks,
> > hyperlinks, accessibility, embedded fonts--you know
> > what I mean), I would also appreciate having that
> > information.
> >
> > Regards,
> > Emmy Aricioglu
> >
> >
> >
> >
>
________________________________________________________________________
__
> __________
> > Be a better friend, newshound, and
> > know-it-all with Yahoo! Mobile.  Try it now.
> http://mobile.yahoo.com/;_ylt=Ahu06i62sR8HDtDypao8Wcj9tAcJ
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> >
> >
> > You are currently subscribed to Framers as yves.barbion at gmail.com.
> >
> > Send list messages to framers at lists.frameusers.com.
> >
> > To unsubscribe send a blank email to
> > framers-unsubscribe at lists.frameusers.com
> > or visit
>
http://lists.frameusers.com/mailman/options/framers/yves.barbion%40gmail
.c
> om
> >
> > Send administrative questions to listadmin at frameusers.com. Visit
> > http://www.frameusers.com/ for more resources and info.
> >
> >
> _______________________________________________
> 
> 
> You are currently subscribed to Framers as kmcdaniel at pavtech.com.
> 
> Send list messages to framers at lists.frameusers.com.
> 
> To unsubscribe send a blank email to
> framers-unsubscribe at lists.frameusers.com
> or visit
>
http://lists.frameusers.com/mailman/options/framers/kmcdaniel%40pavtech.
co
> m
> 
> Send administrative questions to listadmin at frameusers.com. Visit
> http://www.frameusers.com/ for more resources and info.