Re: Frame vs. Word Results

[Mike Starr <mike -dot- starr -at- PLATINUM -dot- COM>]

Can't resist this even though it may just cause a revisitation of an old
conflict here on the list. I find this very interesting. I've been using word
for everything for the last six years, during which time I've put together any
number of books. After having learned the painful way that word's Master
document feature is toxic, I learned to do everything I needed to do with word
and to do it reliably.

Now, I find myself in a new position with a new company and as a consequence am
a Frame 5.5 user and I find myself muttering out loud "Is this what everybody's
raving about???" I'm so disappointed with Frame after all the hype I've read on
this list over the last several years. I really miss all the customizations and
features that word allows. I'd drop Frame in a minute if the choice were mine.
As far as I can figure out, there isn't anything Frame can do that I can't do
just as well in Word and there are an awful lot of things that Word allows me
to do that Frame apparently hasn't even thought of.  Now, I'm not by any means
a Microsoft apologist, but in this case, I say I'd much rather use Word.

Mike Starr
Senior Technical Writer
PLATINUM technology, inc.




Automatic digest processor <LISTSERV -at- LISTSERV -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU> on 09/01/98 12:00:34
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Date:    Tue, 1 Sep 1998 00:48:54 +0100
From:    Robin Whitmore <r -dot- whitmore -at- INTERSHOP -dot- COM>
Subject: Frame vs. Word Results
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All,

Sorry this took so long, but here are the results from the survey many
of you were kind enough to participate in last month regarding Frame vs.
Word.

26 people responded who used either Frame or Word.
62% use Frame, 38% use Word

Of those respondents, 46% were part of the decision to use one or the
other.
Of those decision-makers, 75% chose Frame.

Frame was chosen because: (many respondents listed more than one)
Auto-numbering 55%
Large doc capabilities 55%
Book-building 33%
Graphics 22%
TOC 22%
Cross-refs 22%
Indexing 11%

Word was chosen because: (many respondents listed more than one)
Universality when working with other depts. 33%
Internal support 33%
RoboHelp and other program compatibility 33%

Frame's user's "likes":
True DTP 37.5%
Auto numbering 25%
Book Building 25%
TOC 19%
Indexing 19%
Cross-refs 12.5%
(I found it interesting that decision makers chose Frame because of
graphics handling, but that didn't show up in what users like)

Frame's user's "dislikes":
Steep learning curve 37.5%
No macros 12.5%
No auto correct 6%

Word's user's "likes":
Universality 30%
Familiarity 40%

Word's user's "dislikes":
Overall bugginess 50%
Problems with long documents 30%
Graphics 10%

Hope someone out there finds this useful ;-)
                ______________________________________________________
                INTERSHOP 3 The New Shape of Commerce
                http://www.intershop.com

                Robin Whitmore; Technical Writer
                r -dot- whitmore -at- intershop -dot- com

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