Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!mcsun!cernvax!chx400!ethz!mr
From: mr@ethz.UUCP (Marc Raths)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.apps
Subject: FrameMaker (was: good DTP packages)
Keywords: text editing, desktop publishing
Message-ID: <5213@ethz.UUCP>
Date: 23 Jul 90 19:24:50 GMT
Distribution: comp
Organization: ETH Zuerich
Lines: 40

First a word of caution: I don't have access to FrameMaker on a Mac but
Frame Technology says it is the same as on a Sun so comments may well apply.

FrameMaker has been developed for technical publications but can be put to 
good use in other areas as well. It more than a DTP package since it has a 
text editor that rivals many dedicated word processors, tools for book buil-
ding (index, auto numbering etc.), full DTP (multiple flows on a page etc.),
graphics, math typesetting as easy as word processing and hypertext capa-
bilities. The user interface even on a Sun (under UNIX) is as good as any
Mac program. Most anything can be done in several ways, be it via mouse/menu
or function keys. Documentation is excellent, in printing as well as in
the on-line hypertext manual. Most people I have taught to use it (non-computer
people as well as CS students) found it very easy to use, the command set
being complete, intuitive and consistent. They are using it for a wide
range of jobs from simple letter writing over book writing for technical
documentation to drawings.

Interfacing is easy: You can import texts from various text editors like
MS Word or build your own filter. The same goes for graphics: You can
import raster graphics or Postscript files or even create a hot link.
This is ouput data from an other program. When in FrameMaker, double
clicking on it starts up this other program and lets you edit data there.
When you're done, data is automatically pasted in the document.

Graphics is excellent for complex drawings but without flashy shading
effects or curved text etc.

On Suns there is a free evaluation copy of the software available (saving
disabled) - I don't know about Macs.

Personally I prefer FrameMaker over any other tool or combination of tools
on Unix-Workstations, Macs or PCs for most writing tasks except programming.

(No connections to Frame Technology except as a happy user.)

-- 
Marc Raths, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology  
Baechtoldstrasse 5           
CH-8044 Zurich, Switzerland  UUCP: mr@bernina.uucp (mcsun!chx400!bernina!mr)
Voice : +41-1-251 6824       Internet: mr@bernina.ethz.ch