RE: Need Advice on Upgrade Strategies for FM and Acrobat

2011-02-14 Thread Orly Zimmerman
Hello Jasmine,
Our SME/Engineers are routinely given FM to draft documents.
We have set up a template for them to use (unstructured FM) and if they are so 
inclined to help, this usually works very nicely.
The template is firstly setup with the types of headings and some sort of 
general statement of how to populate the heading - eg - 1- unit name - 2- 
overview- 3 features  4- signal descriptions 5 theory of operation 6 
programming 7 limitations  - etc.
Secondly, the FM template is setup for ease of use.

One thing we do - is use para tag names that the engineers will understand  - 
for example - BodyBeforeList which is exactly what it implies. And while this 
is an unstructured file, the next para is defined as a Bullet tag - so that 
they actually can get a bulleted list (should they need a numbered list, then 
we would explain to them to change that tag to Numbered1  whereby Numbered is 
the next tag - and so on.

Now, if I were creating the template for FM Tech Writers, the tag name would be 
 BBL or b4list or some shortened version whereby I could use shortcut keys - to 
format, but, from experience, I can tell you that the engineers don't like to 
remember keyboard shortcuts. F8/F9 are hard enough to get them to remember.

Tables are already setup in the template. There was some special table we used 
that already had some cells straddled with different para tags in the relevant 
places, so that we put on the reference page - they can copy from the ref page.

If you use conditional text, the other - very important thing I would make sure 
they know and understand, is to always work with **all** conditions showing - 
and give them a lengthy explanation on how to use conditions.

I could go on and on...

In other words, if you set up the template for easy use, it makes their and 
your job easier.

As far as upgrades and Acrobat - you'll probably have to get the latest FM for 
the engineers -they most likely don't need the TCS. In the past, I think that 
single FM licenses came with Acrobat Distiller installed, then the SMEs can 
create PDFs which is basically all they need from Acrobat. I don't know how 
Adobe sells the packs now.

Best of Luck,
Orly.

Orly Zimmerman, Marvell Israel - Technical Communicator
Park Azorim, Kyriat Arie
Petah Tikva, 49527, Israel
Email: or...@marvell.commailto:or...@marvell.com
Office: +972.3.9703440 - OnNet: 705.3440
Fax: +972.3.9704908
Web site: http://www.marvell.comhttp://www.marvell.com/

This message may contain confidential, proprietary or legally privileged 
information. The information is intended only for the use of the individual or 
entity named above. If the reader of this message is not the intended 
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Need Advice on Upgrade Strategies for FM and Acrobat

2011-02-14 Thread Orly Zimmerman
Hello Jasmine,
Our SME/Engineers are routinely given FM to draft documents.
We have set up a template for them to use (unstructured FM) and if they are so 
inclined to help, this usually works very nicely.
The template is firstly setup with the types of headings and some sort of 
general statement of how to populate the heading - eg - 1- unit name - 2- 
overview- 3 features  4- signal descriptions 5 theory of operation 6 
programming 7 limitations  - etc.
Secondly, the FM template is setup for ease of use.

One thing we do - is use para tag names that the engineers will understand  - 
for example - BodyBeforeList which is exactly what it implies. And while this 
is an unstructured file, the next para is defined as a Bullet tag - so that 
they actually can get a bulleted list (should they need a numbered list, then 
we would explain to them to change that tag to Numbered1  whereby Numbered is 
the next tag - and so on.

Now, if I were creating the template for FM Tech Writers, the tag name would be 
 BBL or b4list or some shortened version whereby I could use shortcut keys - to 
format, but, from experience, I can tell you that the engineers don't like to 
remember keyboard shortcuts. F8/F9 are hard enough to get them to remember.

Tables are already setup in the template. There was some special table we used 
that already had some cells straddled with different para tags in the relevant 
places, so that we put on the reference page - they can copy from the ref page.

If you use conditional text, the other - very important thing I would make sure 
they know and understand, is to always work with **all** conditions showing - 
and give them a lengthy explanation on how to use conditions.

I could go on and on...

In other words, if you set up the template for easy use, it makes their and 
your job easier.

As far as upgrades and Acrobat - you'll probably have to get the latest FM for 
the engineers -they most likely don't need the TCS. In the past, I think that 
single FM licenses came with Acrobat Distiller installed, then the SMEs can 
create PDFs which is basically all they need from Acrobat. I don't know how 
Adobe sells the packs now.

Best of Luck,
Orly.

Orly Zimmerman, Marvell Israel - Technical Communicator
Park Azorim, Kyriat Arie
Petah Tikva, 49527, Israel
Email: orlyz at marvell.com
Office: +972.3.9703440 - OnNet: 705.3440
Fax: +972.3.9704908
Web site: http://www.marvell.com

This message may contain confidential, proprietary or legally privileged 
information. The information is intended only for the use of the individual or 
entity named above. If the reader of this message is not the intended 
recipient, you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution or 
copying of this communication is strictly prohibited. If you have received this 
communication in error, please notify us immediately by telephone or by e-mail 
and delete the message from your computer.


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RE: Need Advice on Upgrade Strategies for FM and Acrobat

2011-02-10 Thread Fei Min Lorente
Hi Jasmine:

All of my SMEs, with one or two exceptions, use FrameMaker to draft
material for me. The amount of time it saves me from converting Word to
FrameMaker is worth the money. I've been told this is just short of a
miracle, but I just wanted to let you know that it's possible, and there
are even a few of them who prefer FrameMaker to Word.

I might have an advantage because I moved to structured FrameMaker, so
it makes it easier for the SMEs to follow the templates. You didn't
mention if you're using structured. If you're not, this probably isn't a
good time to introduce it.

My secrets to winning over the SMEs are:
- Give them a cheat sheet.
- Give them a one-hour tutorial.
- Offer to be their technical support any time of the day or night.
- Point out that if they work in FrameMaker, they don't have to give you
the material as far in advance in order to give you enough time to
convert the files from Word.

Sorry I can't help you on an upgrade path except to echo Jeff's
question: why would the SMEs need Acrobat? I'm currently looking at
upgrading myself, so I'm working out a plan, too.

Fei Min

-Original Message-
From: framers-boun...@lists.frameusers.com
[mailto:framers-boun...@lists.frameusers.com] On Behalf Of
qui...@airmail.net
Sent: Wednesday, February 09, 2011 6:38 PM
To: framers@lists.frameusers.com
Subject: Re: Need Advice on Upgrade Strategies for FM and Acrobat

You'll have to train them to use your templates. It might be easier to 
let them use Word and import those files.

Many of the uninitiated balk at maintaining the discipline needed to not

use line formatting.

But, if there is political will, you could do alright.

Scott

On 2/9/11 3:49 PM, Graham, Jasmine S wrote:
 Hello Fellow Framers,

 I need your advice on how to best recommend a strategy for new Frame
and Acrobat software purchases/licensing/upgrades/maintenance contracts,
etc. I apologize for the lengthy email with many questions, but I'm sure
I'm still overlooking some important points.

 SOME HISTORY
 I currently have the TCS1 package FM 8 (structured), Acrobat 9,
Robohelp, Captivate, on Windows XP SP3. For 2+ years, I've been the only
FM user here (everyone else uses Word). Frame's strong points are
helping me to develop and maintain large amounts of new technical
documentation. So, I've won some support for it, which I am really
thrilled about.

 THE OPPORTUNITY
 Now there is an interest in purchasing FM for possibly 3-4 SMEs who
will be drafting documentation for my project. These folks perform
engineering and testing functions (writing is not their primary task),
but their manager sees value/potential in using Frame vs. Word and wants
to gain momentum with it.

 THOUGHTS / QUESTIONS

 -- We should all use the latest Frame (10). Should I upgrade Frame
only on my PC, or should I really consider the full TCS3 upgrade?  I
already have Photoshop. The other folks don't need Robohelp/Captivate,
so TCS3 is overkill for them.

 -- All of us need a compatible Acrobat (I have no idea what to expect
if we install Frame 10 on one of these laptops with an older version of
Acrobat). Should I recommend the latest Acrobat for everyone just to be
safe?

 -- Are there some reliable, yet also fairly reasonable
licensing/upgrade/maintenance strategies to keep us all in sync?

 -- What's beneficial to do now in case we should add Frame users again
down the road?

 -- What gotchas, headaches, and other things must I think about before
I jump into the deep end??

 Since day one, I've not had any problems with my TCS1 setup, so I'm
quite nervous about introducing new software versions without
introducing unwanted special effects. :-)

 I also know that there will be a learning curve and I'll have to train
the others, create cheat sheets, and so forth. And, I must get familiar
with the new interface, too. I'm confident I can manage these things.
Also, I've made every effort to keep the template streamlined and
simple, so hopefully, that will help, too.

 THANKS IN ADVANCE for all words of wisdom and experience in this
area!! :)

 Jasmine Graham
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Need Advice on Upgrade Strategies for FM and Acrobat

2011-02-09 Thread Graham, Jasmine S
Hello Fellow Framers,

I need your advice on how to best recommend a strategy for new Frame and 
Acrobat software purchases/licensing/upgrades/maintenance contracts, etc. I 
apologize for the lengthy email with many questions, but I'm sure I'm still 
overlooking some important points.

SOME HISTORY
I currently have the TCS1 package FM 8 (structured), Acrobat 9, Robohelp, 
Captivate, on Windows XP SP3. For 2+ years, I've been the only FM user here 
(everyone else uses Word). Frame's strong points are helping me to develop and 
maintain large amounts of new technical documentation. So, I've won some 
support for it, which I am really thrilled about.

THE OPPORTUNITY
Now there is an interest in purchasing FM for possibly 3-4 SMEs who will be 
drafting documentation for my project. These folks perform engineering and 
testing functions (writing is not their primary task), but their manager sees 
value/potential in using Frame vs. Word and wants to gain momentum with it.

THOUGHTS / QUESTIONS

-- We should all use the latest Frame (10). Should I upgrade Frame only on my 
PC, or should I really consider the full TCS3 upgrade?  I already have 
Photoshop. The other folks don't need Robohelp/Captivate, so TCS3 is overkill 
for them.

-- All of us need a compatible Acrobat (I have no idea what to expect if we 
install Frame 10 on one of these laptops with an older version of Acrobat). 
Should I recommend the latest Acrobat for everyone just to be safe?

-- Are there some reliable, yet also fairly reasonable 
licensing/upgrade/maintenance strategies to keep us all in sync?

-- What's beneficial to do now in case we should add Frame users again down the 
road?

-- What gotchas, headaches, and other things must I think about before I jump 
into the deep end??

Since day one, I've not had any problems with my TCS1 setup, so I'm quite 
nervous about introducing new software versions without introducing unwanted 
special effects. :-)

I also know that there will be a learning curve and I'll have to train the 
others, create cheat sheets, and so forth. And, I must get familiar with the 
new interface, too. I'm confident I can manage these things. Also, I've made 
every effort to keep the template streamlined and simple, so hopefully, that 
will help, too.

THANKS IN ADVANCE for all words of wisdom and experience in this area!! :)

Jasmine Graham
Technical Writer, Research and Development
Wireline Services
Weatherford │ 481 Winscott Road │ Fort Worth │ TX │ 76126
Main: +1.817.249.7200 │ Direct: +1.817.249.7032 │ Fax: +1.817.249.7885 │ 
Mobile: +1.817.235.3620
jasmine.gra...@weatherford.com │ www.weatherford.com
This message may contain confidential and privileged information. If it has 
been sent to you in error, please reply to advise the sender of the error and 
then immediately delete it. If you are not the intended recipient, do not read, 
copy, disclose or otherwise use this message. The sender disclaims any 
liability for such unauthorized use. PLEASE NOTE that all incoming e-mails sent 
to Weatherford e-mail accounts will be archived and may be scanned by us and/or 
by external service providers to detect and prevent threats to our systems, 
investigate illegal or inappropriate behavior, and/or eliminate unsolicited 
promotional e-mails (spam). This process could result in deletion of a 
legitimate e-mail before it is read by its intended recipient at our 
organization. Moreover, based on the scanning results, the full text of e-mails 
and attachments may be made available to Weatherford security and other 
personnel for review and appropriate action. If you have any concerns about 
this process, please contact us at datapriv...@weatherford.com.
===
CONFIDENTIAL  PRIVILEGED COMMUNICATION

The information contained in this message is privileged, confidential, and 
protected from disclosure.
This message is intended for the individual or entity addressed herein. 
If you are not the intended recipient, please do not read, copy, use or 
disclose this communication to others. 
Also please notify the sender by replying to this message, and then delete it 
from your system. 
The sender totally disclaims, and will not accept, any responsibility or 
liability for the unauthorized use, 
or the consequences of any unauthorized use, of this communication or message.
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RE: Need Advice on Upgrade Strategies for FM and Acrobat

2011-02-09 Thread Jeff Coatsworth
Not sure why your SMEs would need Acrobat if you're the one pulling it all 
together in the TCS. You'll probably find the volume licensing from Adobe for 
TCS is cheaper than getting FM10  Acrobat X for each SME. Besides, if you load 
Captivate on them, you just might get some videos embedded in your FM docs from 
them ;) 

-Original Message-
From: framers-boun...@lists.frameusers.com 
[mailto:framers-boun...@lists.frameusers.com] On Behalf Of Graham, Jasmine S
Sent: Wednesday, February 09, 2011 4:50 PM
To: framers@lists.frameusers.com
Subject: Need Advice on Upgrade Strategies for FM and Acrobat

Hello Fellow Framers,

I need your advice on how to best recommend a strategy for new Frame and 
Acrobat software purchases/licensing/upgrades/maintenance contracts, etc. I 
apologize for the lengthy email with many questions, but I'm sure I'm still 
overlooking some important points.

SOME HISTORY
I currently have the TCS1 package FM 8 (structured), Acrobat 9, Robohelp, 
Captivate, on Windows XP SP3. For 2+ years, I've been the only FM user here 
(everyone else uses Word). Frame's strong points are helping me to develop and 
maintain large amounts of new technical documentation. So, I've won some 
support for it, which I am really thrilled about.

THE OPPORTUNITY
Now there is an interest in purchasing FM for possibly 3-4 SMEs who will be 
drafting documentation for my project. These folks perform engineering and 
testing functions (writing is not their primary task), but their manager sees 
value/potential in using Frame vs. Word and wants to gain momentum with it.

THOUGHTS / QUESTIONS

-- We should all use the latest Frame (10). Should I upgrade Frame only on my 
PC, or should I really consider the full TCS3 upgrade?  I already have 
Photoshop. The other folks don't need Robohelp/Captivate, so TCS3 is overkill 
for them.

-- All of us need a compatible Acrobat (I have no idea what to expect if we 
install Frame 10 on one of these laptops with an older version of Acrobat). 
Should I recommend the latest Acrobat for everyone just to be safe?

-- Are there some reliable, yet also fairly reasonable 
licensing/upgrade/maintenance strategies to keep us all in sync?

-- What's beneficial to do now in case we should add Frame users again down the 
road?

-- What gotchas, headaches, and other things must I think about before I jump 
into the deep end??

Since day one, I've not had any problems with my TCS1 setup, so I'm quite 
nervous about introducing new software versions without introducing unwanted 
special effects. :-)

I also know that there will be a learning curve and I'll have to train the 
others, create cheat sheets, and so forth. And, I must get familiar with the 
new interface, too. I'm confident I can manage these things. Also, I've made 
every effort to keep the template streamlined and simple, so hopefully, that 
will help, too.

THANKS IN ADVANCE for all words of wisdom and experience in this area!! :)

Jasmine Graham
Technical Writer, Research and Development
Wireline Services
Weatherford │ 481 Winscott Road │ Fort Worth │ TX │ 76126
Main: +1.817.249.7200 │ Direct: +1.817.249.7032 │ Fax: +1.817.249.7885 │ 
Mobile: +1.817.235.3620
jasmine.gra...@weatherford.com │ www.weatherford.com
This message may contain confidential and privileged information. If it has 
been sent to you in error, please reply to advise the sender of the error and 
then immediately delete it. If you are not the intended recipient, do not read, 
copy, disclose or otherwise use this message. The sender disclaims any 
liability for such unauthorized use. PLEASE NOTE that all incoming e-mails sent 
to Weatherford e-mail accounts will be archived and may be scanned by us and/or 
by external service providers to detect and prevent threats to our systems, 
investigate illegal or inappropriate behavior, and/or eliminate unsolicited 
promotional e-mails (spam). This process could result in deletion of a 
legitimate e-mail before it is read by its intended recipient at our 
organization. Moreover, based on the scanning results, the full text of e-mails 
and attachments may be made available to Weatherford security and other 
personnel for review and appropriate action. If you have any concerns about 
this process, please contact us at datapriv...@weatherford.com.
===
CONFIDENTIAL  PRIVILEGED COMMUNICATION

The information contained in this message is privileged, confidential, and 
protected from disclosure.
This message is intended for the individual or entity addressed herein. 
If you are not the intended recipient, please do not read, copy, use or 
disclose this communication to others. 
Also please notify the sender by replying to this message, and then delete it 
from your system. 
The sender totally disclaims, and will not accept, any responsibility or 
liability for the unauthorized use, 
or the consequences of any unauthorized use, of this communication or message.

Need Advice on Upgrade Strategies for FM and Acrobat

2011-02-09 Thread Graham, Jasmine S
Hello Fellow Framers,

I need your advice on how to best recommend a strategy for new Frame and 
Acrobat software purchases/licensing/upgrades/maintenance contracts, etc. I 
apologize for the lengthy email with many questions, but I'm sure I'm still 
overlooking some important points.

SOME HISTORY
I currently have the TCS1 package FM 8 (structured), Acrobat 9, Robohelp, 
Captivate, on Windows XP SP3. For 2+ years, I've been the only FM user here 
(everyone else uses Word). Frame's strong points are helping me to develop and 
maintain large amounts of new technical documentation. So, I've won some 
support for it, which I am really thrilled about.

THE OPPORTUNITY
Now there is an interest in purchasing FM for possibly 3-4 SMEs who will be 
drafting documentation for my project. These folks perform engineering and 
testing functions (writing is not their primary task), but their manager sees 
value/potential in using Frame vs. Word and wants to gain momentum with it.

THOUGHTS / QUESTIONS

-- We should all use the latest Frame (10). Should I upgrade Frame only on my 
PC, or should I really consider the full TCS3 upgrade?  I already have 
Photoshop. The other folks don't need Robohelp/Captivate, so TCS3 is overkill 
for them.

-- All of us need a compatible Acrobat (I have no idea what to expect if we 
install Frame 10 on one of these laptops with an older version of Acrobat). 
Should I recommend the latest Acrobat for everyone just to be safe?

-- Are there some reliable, yet also fairly reasonable 
licensing/upgrade/maintenance strategies to keep us all in sync?

-- What's beneficial to do now in case we should add Frame users again down the 
road?

-- What gotchas, headaches, and other things must I think about before I jump 
into the deep end??

Since day one, I've not had any problems with my TCS1 setup, so I'm quite 
nervous about introducing new software versions without introducing unwanted 
special effects. :-)

I also know that there will be a learning curve and I'll have to train the 
others, create cheat sheets, and so forth. And, I must get familiar with the 
new interface, too. I'm confident I can manage these things. Also, I've made 
every effort to keep the template streamlined and simple, so hopefully, that 
will help, too.

THANKS IN ADVANCE for all words of wisdom and experience in this area!! :)

Jasmine Graham
Technical Writer, Research and Development
Wireline Services
Weatherford ? 481 Winscott Road ? Fort Worth ? TX ? 76126
Main: +1.817.249.7200 ? Direct: +1.817.249.7032 ? Fax: +1.817.249.7885 ? 
Mobile: +1.817.235.3620
jasmine.graham at weatherford.com ? www.weatherford.com
This message may contain confidential and privileged information. If it has 
been sent to you in error, please reply to advise the sender of the error and 
then immediately delete it. If you are not the intended recipient, do not read, 
copy, disclose or otherwise use this message. The sender disclaims any 
liability for such unauthorized use. PLEASE NOTE that all incoming e-mails sent 
to Weatherford e-mail accounts will be archived and may be scanned by us and/or 
by external service providers to detect and prevent threats to our systems, 
investigate illegal or inappropriate behavior, and/or eliminate unsolicited 
promotional e-mails (spam). This process could result in deletion of a 
legitimate e-mail before it is read by its intended recipient at our 
organization. Moreover, based on the scanning results, the full text of e-mails 
and attachments may be made available to Weatherford security and other 
personnel for review and appropriate action. If you have any concerns about 
this process, please contact us at dataprivacy at weatherford.com.
===
CONFIDENTIAL & PRIVILEGED COMMUNICATION

The information contained in this message is privileged, confidential, and 
protected from disclosure.
This message is intended for the individual or entity addressed herein. 
If you are not the intended recipient, please do not read, copy, use or 
disclose this communication to others. 
Also please notify the sender by replying to this message, and then delete it 
from your system. 
The sender totally disclaims, and will not accept, any responsibility or 
liability for the unauthorized use, 
or the consequences of any unauthorized use, of this communication or message.


Need Advice on Upgrade Strategies for FM and Acrobat

2011-02-09 Thread Jeff Coatsworth
Not sure why your SMEs would need Acrobat if you're the one pulling it all 
together in the TCS. You'll probably find the volume licensing from Adobe for 
TCS is cheaper than getting FM10 & Acrobat X for each SME. Besides, if you load 
Captivate on them, you just might get some videos embedded in your FM docs from 
them ;>) 

-Original Message-
From: framers-bounces at lists.frameusers.com 
[mailto:framers-boun...@lists.frameusers.com] On Behalf Of Graham, Jasmine S
Sent: Wednesday, February 09, 2011 4:50 PM
To: framers at lists.frameusers.com
Subject: Need Advice on Upgrade Strategies for FM and Acrobat

Hello Fellow Framers,

I need your advice on how to best recommend a strategy for new Frame and 
Acrobat software purchases/licensing/upgrades/maintenance contracts, etc. I 
apologize for the lengthy email with many questions, but I'm sure I'm still 
overlooking some important points.

SOME HISTORY
I currently have the TCS1 package FM 8 (structured), Acrobat 9, Robohelp, 
Captivate, on Windows XP SP3. For 2+ years, I've been the only FM user here 
(everyone else uses Word). Frame's strong points are helping me to develop and 
maintain large amounts of new technical documentation. So, I've won some 
support for it, which I am really thrilled about.

THE OPPORTUNITY
Now there is an interest in purchasing FM for possibly 3-4 SMEs who will be 
drafting documentation for my project. These folks perform engineering and 
testing functions (writing is not their primary task), but their manager sees 
value/potential in using Frame vs. Word and wants to gain momentum with it.

THOUGHTS / QUESTIONS

-- We should all use the latest Frame (10). Should I upgrade Frame only on my 
PC, or should I really consider the full TCS3 upgrade?  I already have 
Photoshop. The other folks don't need Robohelp/Captivate, so TCS3 is overkill 
for them.

-- All of us need a compatible Acrobat (I have no idea what to expect if we 
install Frame 10 on one of these laptops with an older version of Acrobat). 
Should I recommend the latest Acrobat for everyone just to be safe?

-- Are there some reliable, yet also fairly reasonable 
licensing/upgrade/maintenance strategies to keep us all in sync?

-- What's beneficial to do now in case we should add Frame users again down the 
road?

-- What gotchas, headaches, and other things must I think about before I jump 
into the deep end??

Since day one, I've not had any problems with my TCS1 setup, so I'm quite 
nervous about introducing new software versions without introducing unwanted 
special effects. :-)

I also know that there will be a learning curve and I'll have to train the 
others, create cheat sheets, and so forth. And, I must get familiar with the 
new interface, too. I'm confident I can manage these things. Also, I've made 
every effort to keep the template streamlined and simple, so hopefully, that 
will help, too.

THANKS IN ADVANCE for all words of wisdom and experience in this area!! :)

Jasmine Graham
Technical Writer, Research and Development
Wireline Services
Weatherford ? 481 Winscott Road ? Fort Worth ? TX ? 76126
Main: +1.817.249.7200 ? Direct: +1.817.249.7032 ? Fax: +1.817.249.7885 ? 
Mobile: +1.817.235.3620
jasmine.graham at weatherford.com ? www.weatherford.com
This message may contain confidential and privileged information. If it has 
been sent to you in error, please reply to advise the sender of the error and 
then immediately delete it. If you are not the intended recipient, do not read, 
copy, disclose or otherwise use this message. The sender disclaims any 
liability for such unauthorized use. PLEASE NOTE that all incoming e-mails sent 
to Weatherford e-mail accounts will be archived and may be scanned by us and/or 
by external service providers to detect and prevent threats to our systems, 
investigate illegal or inappropriate behavior, and/or eliminate unsolicited 
promotional e-mails (spam). This process could result in deletion of a 
legitimate e-mail before it is read by its intended recipient at our 
organization. Moreover, based on the scanning results, the full text of e-mails 
and attachments may be made available to Weatherford security and other 
personnel for review and appropriate action. If you have any concerns about 
this process, please contact us at dataprivacy at weatherford.com.
===
CONFIDENTIAL & PRIVILEGED COMMUNICATION

The information contained in this message is privileged, confidential, and 
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Need Advice on Upgrade Strategies for FM and Acrobat

2011-02-09 Thread qui...@airmail.net
You'll have to train them to use your templates. It might be easier to 
let them use Word and import those files.

Many of the uninitiated balk at maintaining the discipline needed to not 
use line formatting.

But, if there is political will, you could do alright.

Scott

On 2/9/11 3:49 PM, Graham, Jasmine S wrote:
> Hello Fellow Framers,
>
> I need your advice on how to best recommend a strategy for new Frame and 
> Acrobat software purchases/licensing/upgrades/maintenance contracts, etc. I 
> apologize for the lengthy email with many questions, but I'm sure I'm still 
> overlooking some important points.
>
> SOME HISTORY
> I currently have the TCS1 package FM 8 (structured), Acrobat 9, Robohelp, 
> Captivate, on Windows XP SP3. For 2+ years, I've been the only FM user here 
> (everyone else uses Word). Frame's strong points are helping me to develop 
> and maintain large amounts of new technical documentation. So, I've won some 
> support for it, which I am really thrilled about.
>
> THE OPPORTUNITY
> Now there is an interest in purchasing FM for possibly 3-4 SMEs who will be 
> drafting documentation for my project. These folks perform engineering and 
> testing functions (writing is not their primary task), but their manager sees 
> value/potential in using Frame vs. Word and wants to gain momentum with it.
>
> THOUGHTS / QUESTIONS
>
> -- We should all use the latest Frame (10). Should I upgrade Frame only on my 
> PC, or should I really consider the full TCS3 upgrade?  I already have 
> Photoshop. The other folks don't need Robohelp/Captivate, so TCS3 is overkill 
> for them.
>
> -- All of us need a compatible Acrobat (I have no idea what to expect if we 
> install Frame 10 on one of these laptops with an older version of Acrobat). 
> Should I recommend the latest Acrobat for everyone just to be safe?
>
> -- Are there some reliable, yet also fairly reasonable 
> licensing/upgrade/maintenance strategies to keep us all in sync?
>
> -- What's beneficial to do now in case we should add Frame users again down 
> the road?
>
> -- What gotchas, headaches, and other things must I think about before I jump 
> into the deep end??
>
> Since day one, I've not had any problems with my TCS1 setup, so I'm quite 
> nervous about introducing new software versions without introducing unwanted 
> special effects. :-)
>
> I also know that there will be a learning curve and I'll have to train the 
> others, create cheat sheets, and so forth. And, I must get familiar with the 
> new interface, too. I'm confident I can manage these things. Also, I've made 
> every effort to keep the template streamlined and simple, so hopefully, that 
> will help, too.
>
> THANKS IN ADVANCE for all words of wisdom and experience in this area!! :)
>
> Jasmine Graham


Need Advice on Upgrade Strategies for FM and Acrobat

2011-02-09 Thread Fei Min Lorente
Hi Jasmine:

All of my SMEs, with one or two exceptions, use FrameMaker to draft
material for me. The amount of time it saves me from converting Word to
FrameMaker is worth the money. I've been told this is just short of a
miracle, but I just wanted to let you know that it's possible, and there
are even a few of them who prefer FrameMaker to Word.

I might have an advantage because I moved to structured FrameMaker, so
it makes it easier for the SMEs to follow the templates. You didn't
mention if you're using structured. If you're not, this probably isn't a
good time to introduce it.

My "secrets" to winning over the SMEs are:
- Give them a cheat sheet.
- Give them a one-hour tutorial.
- Offer to be their technical support any time of the day or night.
- Point out that if they work in FrameMaker, they don't have to give you
the material as far in advance in order to give you enough time to
convert the files from Word.

Sorry I can't help you on an upgrade path except to echo Jeff's
question: why would the SMEs need Acrobat? I'm currently looking at
upgrading myself, so I'm working out a plan, too.

Fei Min

-Original Message-
From: framers-boun...@lists.frameusers.com
[mailto:framers-bounces at lists.frameusers.com] On Behalf Of
quills at airmail.net
Sent: Wednesday, February 09, 2011 6:38 PM
To: framers at lists.frameusers.com
Subject: Re: Need Advice on Upgrade Strategies for FM and Acrobat

You'll have to train them to use your templates. It might be easier to 
let them use Word and import those files.

Many of the uninitiated balk at maintaining the discipline needed to not

use line formatting.

But, if there is political will, you could do alright.

Scott

On 2/9/11 3:49 PM, Graham, Jasmine S wrote:
> Hello Fellow Framers,
>
> I need your advice on how to best recommend a strategy for new Frame
and Acrobat software purchases/licensing/upgrades/maintenance contracts,
etc. I apologize for the lengthy email with many questions, but I'm sure
I'm still overlooking some important points.
>
> SOME HISTORY
> I currently have the TCS1 package FM 8 (structured), Acrobat 9,
Robohelp, Captivate, on Windows XP SP3. For 2+ years, I've been the only
FM user here (everyone else uses Word). Frame's strong points are
helping me to develop and maintain large amounts of new technical
documentation. So, I've won some support for it, which I am really
thrilled about.
>
> THE OPPORTUNITY
> Now there is an interest in purchasing FM for possibly 3-4 SMEs who
will be drafting documentation for my project. These folks perform
engineering and testing functions (writing is not their primary task),
but their manager sees value/potential in using Frame vs. Word and wants
to gain momentum with it.
>
> THOUGHTS / QUESTIONS
>
> -- We should all use the latest Frame (10). Should I upgrade Frame
only on my PC, or should I really consider the full TCS3 upgrade?  I
already have Photoshop. The other folks don't need Robohelp/Captivate,
so TCS3 is overkill for them.
>
> -- All of us need a compatible Acrobat (I have no idea what to expect
if we install Frame 10 on one of these laptops with an older version of
Acrobat). Should I recommend the latest Acrobat for everyone just to be
safe?
>
> -- Are there some reliable, yet also fairly reasonable
licensing/upgrade/maintenance strategies to keep us all in sync?
>
> -- What's beneficial to do now in case we should add Frame users again
down the road?
>
> -- What gotchas, headaches, and other things must I think about before
I jump into the deep end??
>
> Since day one, I've not had any problems with my TCS1 setup, so I'm
quite nervous about introducing new software versions without
introducing unwanted special effects. :-)
>
> I also know that there will be a learning curve and I'll have to train
the others, create cheat sheets, and so forth. And, I must get familiar
with the new interface, too. I'm confident I can manage these things.
Also, I've made every effort to keep the template streamlined and
simple, so hopefully, that will help, too.
>
> THANKS IN ADVANCE for all words of wisdom and experience in this
area!! :)
>
> Jasmine Graham
___


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