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Subject:MS Word, Styles, and Framemaker From:Floramaria Deter <fmc -at- NETCOM -dot- COM> Date:Thu, 17 Apr 1997 22:23:15 -0700
At 11:02 PM 4/17/97 EDT, Gregory D Drew wrote:
> ----------
>From: Misti Tucker USAET(UTC -04:00)
>
>Using styles seems to be a major mystery even to longtime Word users.
>You
>might want to go into that.
> --------------------------
>
>I can't resist adding my voice to this Word style discussion.
>
>It used to be a major irritation to me when people don't use styles in
>Word. I cringed at the extra spaces, tabs, spacebar, etc. However,
>I've softened once I accepted that:
>
>1. Using styles in Word is not as easy to do as it is in a package such
>as Frame. If you are going to be sharing the source files for the
>document with others, then you have to send the template (.dot) file to
>them as well, and hope that it a) gets installed, and b) installed to the
>correct path (c:\msoffice\winword\template).
>
>2. Word is notoriously fickle and unstable with its styles, even when
>files are not distributed.
>
>3. Updating styles practically requires an act of Congress.
>
>4. Basically Microsoft has attempted to turn a word processor into a
>desktop publishing tool. I say attempted because it hasn't really
>delivered: Ever tried using the master document?? Numbered steps are a
>nightmare.. etc., etc., etc.
>
>Don't get me wrong, I think Word is a great program and has a niche,
>styles and all. However, I've learned to stop taking too seriously a
>program that was never intended to be a serious desktop publishing tool.
>__________________________________________________________________
>Greg Drew
>gddrew -at- juno -dot- com
I couldn't agree with you more! I'm currently a grad student working as
technical writer at a state agency (I won't say which one, but if you go to
my web page and look at my resume, I'm sure you can figure it out). All my
documents, which vary from 25 page lessons to 150 manuals are all done in
MS Word 7.0 and use styles excessively. Needless to say, it drives me
nuts. I've got zillions of .dot since I'm working off a network and with
other people. I really want us to switch to Framemaker. I've been playing
around with a demo copy and absolutely loved it. Any suggestions on how I
can convince my sometimes clueless manager to invest some money and switch
to Framemaker?
Flora :)
----------------------------------------------------------
* FLORA DETER...VISIT FLORA'S HIDEOUT!!!! *
* Email: fmc -at- netcom -dot- com http://www.deter.com/flora *
* Motto: The purpose of morality is to teach you, not to *
* suffer and die, but to enjoy yourself and live. *
* - From Ayn Rand's _Atlas Shrugged_ *
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