RE: The Old Argument: FrameMaker vs. MS Word

["Alan D. Miller" <"Alan D. Miller"@educate.com>]

Hello All:

I've stayed out of these "discussions" of one tool versus another in the past
(some folks get a little too fond of one or another wordsmith tool, if you get
my drift <g>). I just want to make two simple points, then I'm back in the
background.

First, IMHO we are all professionals and as such what we do should be
independent of what we use to do it. I am not a MS Word User or a FrameMaker
User (though I have used those and several other tools). I am a professional
writer and expert in how to make folks understand complicated stuff. I will use
whatever tools the client wants me to use. (Remember the Golden Rule of Arts and
Letters: He who has the gold makes the rules.) If the client wants the document
carved in stone, I'll get out the chisel and mallet and start chiseling. See
where I'm going with this? Good.

Second, some one suggested that no one could do more than one thing well. That
is, writers should only write and to expect anything more would result in
failure on the writer's part. Most folks I know in this business are attracted
to it (and I happily note that several posters have expressed this same
sentiment) because of the opportunities to learn and use new and varied skills.
I think it has something to do with the innate intellectual curiosity most tech
writers have. Admittedly, there are those who are perfectly happy doing one
thing only. These persons are important, but guess what? Those of us (I think I
have a few other talents and skills, so I'll include myself here--humility won't
pay the bills) who can do a bunch of stuff well will get more gigs and, in all
likelihood, get paid more for them.

Geez, I'm getting cranky in my old age. You can ignore whatever parts of the
above you want.

My dollar-two-ninety-eight.
Al Miller
alan -dot- miller -at- educate -dot- com