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Subject:Re: Ventura aficionados From:joemiller -at- canberra -dot- com To:TECHWR-L -at- LISTS -dot- RAYCOMM -dot- COM Date:Thu, 27 Jan 2000 09:05:39 -0500
Jay Maechtlen wrote: (Hi, Jay! <g>)
> Also use Pagemaker 6.5, and dislike it...
>
> For support on Ventura, see Corel's newsgroups
>
> The server is
> cnews.corel.ca
There are a couple of things to consider about PageMaker. One is that it's not
a publishing program, it's a page layout program, for ads and brochures;
anything that calls for a different layout on each page. Another is that it's a
16-bit program that hasn't been updated for more than 2 1/2 years. Is it likely
that Adobe will convert it to a 32-bit program? Consider this: A year ago Adobe
introduced the 32-bit InDesign, a layout program, and this year they plan to
release a 32-bit version of FrameMaker, a publishing program. Draw your own
conclusions about the future development of PageMaker.
A couple of years ago Ventura was rewritten from the ground up as a 32-bit
publishing program (V7), is now at V8 with V9 in the planning stages. It's
pretty obvious from this that Corel is committed to supporting and improving
Ventura. Moreover, I've been told by those who use both in their businesses
that FrameMaker has nowhere near the flexibility, number of features and sheer
publishing power that Ventura has.
The 32-bit FrameMaker will essentially be V1.0 and will no doubt have its share
of problems, which I'm sure will be addressed over time. Ventura 7 (the 32-bit
V1.0) surely did, but Corel issued a couple of Service Packs, then in V8
improved greatly on the user interface (tear off menus and a modeless cursor
come to mind). In Corel's continuing effort to respond to its customers, there
have been two Service Packs released for Ventura 8, with at least one more in
the works. Corel doesn't stand still.
I've had no first hand experience with Adobe's FrameMaker (or PageMaker)
support, but I've heard it's not all that good. I _can_ tell you from long
experience that Corel's support for Ventura is outstanding. If you post a
question on the cnews.corel.ca.corelsupport.ventura8 newsgroup, you'll have at
least one reply posted within the hour and usually several within 24 hours. The
worldwide user to user support is outstanding, almost surpassing the support
offered by Corel's volunteer C_Techs, who know the program better than most
because they make their livings using it for a large variety of publishing
tasks.
Can Word be used for publishing? Of course! Just about as well as a tack
hammer can be used to drive a framing nail. It'll work, sort of, but it'll take
much more effort and much more time and will produce a much less useful product.
Then, having published in Word, you'll be faced with the agony of trying to
maintain that document in a system not designed for the task. Good luck.
The bottom line? Define your task, analyze the tools available to perform the
task, then choose the best tool for that task. My group publishes Technical
Documents, manuals and specification sheets, for about 150 hardware and software
products, so for us, the tool is and continues to be Ventura.
Regards,
Joe Miller
Technical Publications Department
Canberra Industries
Connecticut, USA
joemiller -at- canberra -dot- com
