OT: Software recommendations

[Roger Shuttleworth]

Hi Art

Thanks for your reply, and Nadine too. I'm familiar with DITA and will most likely use that.

I should have mentione in my OP that there are two of us here, and the only software we have at present is the single RoboHelp licence, so buying a couple of FM licences won't get us very far.

Thanks for the link to the User Group.

Roger

Roger Shuttleworth
Technical Documentation
AV-BASE Systems Inc.
1000 Air Ontario Drive, Suite 200
London, Ontario
N5V 3S4
Tel. 519 691-0919 ext. 320
rshuttleworth at avbasesystems.com


----- Original Message -----
From: Art Campbell
[mailto:art.campbell at gmail.com]
To: Roger Shuttleworth
[mailto:rshuttleworth at avbasesystems.com]
Cc:
framers at lists.frameusers.com
Sent: Mon, 25 Jan 2010 17:19:33 -0500
Subject:
Re: OT: Software recommendations


> I'd definitely look at TCS2, and then look at a couple of additional
> things beyond that to investigate:
>  1. MIF2Go can do a couple things RH can't, and vice-versa. So I'd
> also investigate a second HA solution that can run off FM
> single-source.
>  2. If you're also doing manuals, or they want to continue doing
> manuals, I'd look at the DocBook standard as a simpler alternative to
> DITA, and one that may be easier to implement if they already have a
> manual paradigm.
> 
> If you're not already a member, you may also want to join the TCS
> User's Group at http://groups.google.com/group/TCS-Users?hl=en.
> 
> Art Campbell
>                art.campbell at gmail.com
>   "... In my opinion, there's nothing in this world beats a '52
> Vincent and a redheaded girl." -- Richard Thompson
>                                                       No disclaimers apply.
>                                                                DoD 358
> 
> 
> 
> On Mon, Jan 25, 2010 at 4:23 PM, Roger Shuttleworth
> <rshuttleworth at avbasesystems.com> wrote:
> > Hello All
> >
> > I just started a new job at a software company whose product is very
> GUI-intense. User assistance is crucial, and our legacy versions use online
> Help that opens in a separate browser window. Management seem to be very
> open to the idea of embedded help, etc. in upcoming versions, and they are
> very serious about good UI design - so I'm hoping I'll be able to promote
> embedded help in the future.
> >
> > In the past the Help was  created in RoboHelp 7 and existed separately
> from any PDF output, but in the future I can see us also creating
> well-designed PDFs, single-sourcing the PDF and the Help, and maybe also
> training materials. There will also be about four software packages with
> different sets of features (so some form of inclusion/exclusion mechanism
> will be needed.
> >
> > I'm looking for recommendations as to which software package(s) to use. My
> inclination is to get TCS2, single-source in FrameMaker, and then push to
> RH. I'm pretty savvy with structured FM (though not v.9.0).
> >
> > Before I leap for TCS2, I wonder if there are other possibilities. We do
> not need XML as yet, though it may be a remote possibility down the road).
> I've also thought about using XML and the DITA-OT, but the PDF output is
> probably not good enough and there will be issues with file management in
> the absence of a content management system.
> >
> > Any suggestions will be welcome. Thanks for your help.
> >
> > Roger
> >
> > Roger Shuttleworth
> > Technical Documentation
> > AV-BASE Systems Inc.
> > 1000 Air Ontario Drive, Suite 200
> > London, Ontario
> > N5V 3S4
> > Canada
> > Tel. 519 691-0919 ext. 320
> > rshuttleworth at avbasesystems.com
> > _______________________________________________
> >
> >
> > You are currently subscribed to Framers as art.campbell 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/art.campbell%40gmail.com
> >
> > Send administrative questions to listadmin at frameusers.com. Visit
> > http://www.frameusers.com/ for more resources and info.
> >
>