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In fact, (and I am a guy that uses a plethora of software) I would say that
FrameMaker is perhaps the Technical Communicators best tool.
I won't begin to compare it to Word, but I once mentioned I would not accept a
job publishing large documents without Frame. Well, I recently interviewed with
a LARGE company about a month ago. They kept asking about my Word experience.
Finally I flat out asked if they were a Word environment . . .and they
acknowledged they were.
Right then and there (very professionally, mind you) I informed them there was
no need to waste any more of our time . . . that I was not interested in working
with Word. When they asked why, I was very frank and explained how I would be
gray within six months trying to do stuff with Word when I knew how easily the
same task could be performed with Frame. I asked if any of them had ever used
Frame, they admitted they hadn't.
And yes, I know Word . . . very well in fact. But once you really get your
hands into FrameMaker, I think you'll wonder how you ever did your job without
it. And hey, there is a learning curve for some people. No worries. Just keep at
it, join the Framers list, learn everything you can. But above all - don't judge
it until you know it.
-jp
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