Frame vs Indesign vs alternatives??

[Laurie Little]

Hello from beautiful sunny Toronto!

I need to recommend a tool for a client who works on Mac, and it's between
FM (via Bootcamp/Parallels/whatever) and Indesign for Mac (major functional
requirements are conditions/variables/text insets).

We're pushing for Frame, since we're the ones who will be converting the old
docs/maintaining etc., but the client (thinks he) will be doing some minor
maintenance and therefore prefers a Mac (and preferably an open-source)
solution if one can be found, so my boss wants to make sure we have all info
to present.

Since Indesign CS4 *can* do conditional text/xrefs/variables, I need to
assemble a good argument for not using it  :-D
>From what I've read in various forums (fora?) and blogs etc., Frame is still
the preferred tool for user docs, regardless of platform.

Just to round out our proposal though, I need to include/eliminate any other
alternatives. The ones I have looked at don't seem to do conditional text
(which would be critical to this project). Does anyone know of another
(Mac/open source) tool that handles conditional text, other than Frame and
Indesign?

Thanks for any advice/warnings/tips/rants/etc,

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Laurie Little
Words That Work
www.words-tw.com
905-947-1557