Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!ucsd!helios.ee.lbl.gov!nosc!logicon.com!trantor.harris-atd.com!trantor!chuck
From: chuck@trantor.harris-atd.com (Chuck Musciano)
Newsgroups: comp.text.desktop
Subject: Re: Any good WYSIWIG desktop publishing software on UNIX Workstations?
Message-ID: <3969@trantor.harris-atd.com>
Date: 12 Jul 90 14:08:09 GMT
References: <1924@runxtsa.runx.oz.au> <12980001@hpspdra.HP.COM> <1990Jul9.032311.6040@eagle.lerc.nasa.gov> <3944@trantor.harris-atd.com> <6543@tekig5.PEN.TEK.COM>
Sender: news@trantor.harris-atd.com
Reply-To: chuck@trantor.harris-atd.com (Chuck Musciano)
Organization: Advanced Technology Dept, Harris Corp, Melbourne, FL
Lines: 57
X-Local-Date: 12 Jul 90 07:08:09 PDT

In article <3962@trantor.harris-atd.com> briand@tekig5.PEN.TEK.COM writes:
> >And, ask your InterLeaf sales rep why so many InterLeaf employees have quit
> >to go work at Frame :-)
> 
> Maybe Frame pays better, maybe they are located in a part of the country that
> is a more desirable area to live? Who knows? Is it a reason that matters to
> you, the customer? Or was this poster just a rabid Frame fanatic?

      Or maybe they see the writing on the wall.  Every customer should be
concerned about the health of their vendors.  When talented people start
bailing out, it's time to reevaluate your investment in a company.  And,
as many people are aware, I am a very rabid Frame fan.

> CALS: If your customers are the military (DOD) or their contractors, then your
> documents MUST be deliverable in a specific mag-tape form. This form is very
> specific, from writing style to content organization. Interleaf offers a CALS-
> compliance package that ensures your text qualifies, then outputs the proper
> tape format for you.
> 
> Eventually, CALS will require that the DOD have on-line dial-up access to YOUR
> documents on YOUR computer in CALS-compliant form. Interleaf is part of the
> industry consortium that is guiding CALS so that the military only asks for
> what is possible.
> 
> Frame has announced that they will have some sort of CALS support in the
> future.

     Frame will support CALS, have no doubt.  Further, InterLeaf cannot deliver
any sort of CALS tools now, and even more important, their CALS product will
run $60,000!  Frame was the first company to demonstrate their ability to read
and write CALS-format tapes.  And, one of the main people directing the CALS
effort at InterLeaf left to work for Frame.  Frame will definitely support CALS.

> I'd do what this poster suggests, and look at both very carefully. But look
> behind the flash and glitter, and decide which system, and which company, you
> want supporting you two, three, or ten years out.

     Good advice.  And try this.  Get demo copies of both Frame and
InterLeaf.  Come up with a problem and call the normal support line.
See which company helps you out right away, and see which one spends
all sorts of time deciding if you are a valid customer.  Frame tech support
is outstanding, and is available via e-mail, too.

     Some of the points regarding InterLeaf are valid.  If you are just pouring
text into predefined formats, InterLeaf may be the way to go.  In particular,
if you don't have to actually use InterLeaf, but produce text with ASCII
terminals, InterLeaf may be a valid solution.  For that matter, in such 
cases, ArborText Publisher is also a good choice, and its table and equation
editors are far superior to InterLeaf, and it supports TeX and LaTeX.

Chuck Musciano				ARPA  : chuck@trantor.harris-atd.com
Harris Corporation 			Usenet: ...!uunet!x102a!trantor!chuck
PO Box 37, MS 3A/1912			AT&T  : (407) 727-6131
Melbourne, FL 32902			FAX   : (407) 729-2537

I'm glad you asked, son.  Being popular
	is the most important thing in the world.	-- Homer Simpson