The Holy Wars -- LAME!

Subject: The Holy Wars -- LAME!
From: Bruce Byfield <bbyfield -at- AXIONET -dot- COM>
Date: Thu, 8 Jan 1998 21:00:52 -0500

Andrew Plato <aplato -at- EASYSTREET -dot- COM> wrote:

>Well, what do you think? Did I do the right thing by telling >the mangers to crush the holy war people?

I suppose it's a matter of degree. In the case you describe, the Holy
Wars were getting in the way of actual work, and something needed to be
done.

I don't think you were justified, however, in saying that the FrameMaker
advocates' productivity would suffer. But maybe I'm just sensitive
because I vastly prefer FrameMaker to Word.

Which brings up the other side of the issue: if you know of a good tool,
then perhaps part of the expertise for which you've been hired is to
recommend it. It doesn't seem like a meaningless squabble to me to
prefer the most suitable tool for the job.

I've been a contractor, and I pride myself on working with the tools
that the client prefers. However, even before I got used to FrameMaker,
I found my experience with Word mostly defined by what I couldn't do or
what was difficult to do.

I estimate that I am at least 20% more productive in Frame than in Word
- 30% if I have to revise constantly. I believe that it's not in a
client's best interests for me to work in Word, and I would be dishonest
not to mention that upfront.

Of course, once I take that position, I'm then obligated to suggest ways
that I can deliver Word material from FrameMaker if that's important.

Also, if I lost the battle, I would do the best I could with Word or, if
I was extremely frustrated, move along.

In short, I believe my position to be extremely rational. But, then, all
bigots think that, don't they?




--
Bruce Byfield, Outlaw Communications
(bbyfield -at- axionet -dot- com) (604) 421-7189 or 687-2133 X. 269
http://www.axionet.com/outlawcommunications

"Then fareweel ye banks o' Sicily,
Fare ye weel ye valley an' shaw,
There's nae Jock will mourn the kyles o' ye,
Puir bluidie swaddies are weary."
- Hamish Henderson,
"The 51st Division's Farewell to Sicily"




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