Re: WP software???

[Marcia Coulter <notjust -at- IX -dot- NETCOM -dot- COM>]

Jim wrote:

>My question: I write on a Mac, but a TW friend told me that 90% of the
>writing for TW is done on PC platform, so I'm at a disadvantage if I
>don't switch platforms.

I am a free-lance writer and trainer. My approach has always been to go
where there is less competition. So if 90% of the technical writing is
done on a PC, then probably 95% of the tech writers are there too.  In
other words, 10% of the market is still about 9.98% more than you can
handle by yourself.

I have to admit, I haven't applied this to the Mac vs. PC area.  But I
will say that I went to Word for Windows when most technical writers
were using Word Perfect (which I could I also do).  Suddenly there were
people that just had to have me -- even before the interview!

Now I'm applying the same logic to FrameMaker.  There aren't that many
FrameMaker contracts available, but they really have a hard time finding
anybody who can handle it.  So I'm a good, experienced tech writer who
has at least a passing acquaintance with FrameMaker, and ... Yep, you
guessed it.

>Also, he suggests I learn to use either Word 6.0 or Framemaker.
>For that reason, I'm leaning toward Word.  (But do I spend the $300 on
>Mac software if I really NEED to be writing in PC format!?!?

A way for you to begin might be to pick up a word processing package
that works on both the PC and the Mac. (I know Word 6.0 does, and I
think that FrameMaker does too.) Learn it on the platform that you
already have. And if and when you're ready, you've already got a head
start on learning PC-related stuff.


Marcia Coulter                          "I said it was simple, I didn't
notjust -at- ix -dot- netcom -dot- com                           say it was easy."
                                                        T.E. Taylor