> Or do they simply prefer to work in a WYSIWYG style that offers some meaningful visual feedback to the author as they write?
Both > Of course, you can't approximate the final output if you don't know WHAT the final output device/platform/environment will be all of the time (which is often true). For the specific example that I used you would be incorrect. I've got over 100 large-scale CM projects under my belt, more than half of them newspapers, I'd trust me on this one. > But on the web page the end user can change the size themselves. The screen reader doesn't care about column widths. Different display devices will also warrant different attributes.< While your statement is correct, you're assuming web publishing. I deal with more than simple web publishing. > This is just a problem with authors thinking they need something when they don't. They need to see that the headline is clearly (ie, visually) shown as the headline: It's the bold, bigger type at the type that was styled when I clicked on the HEADLINE style button. They don't need to know what color it will be in, where the line break is, or whether it will be sans serif or not.< No, this is a problem with engineers, businesspeople, and vendors who think they understand how things work and think they know what their people want. Which also explains why I've gone in to replace so many failed solutions over the years. Even had the misfortune of working for a vendor who, to this day, still doesn't get it....and the bottomline reflects it. > As it should be in terms of authoring content for multiple delivery platforms, correct?< Provided that is your requirement, and your writers can adapt, sure. > What creative needs? Aren't their creative needs in their ability to manipulate the written language? What WYSIWYG features would they need to satisfy that creative need?< You've got to be management, or an engineer...you're obviously not creative. JPGs and GIFs are ubiquitous. If van Gogh were alive today would you demand that he use a pen tablet and Photoshop? Or would you let him do what he does best, in the way that he prefers to do it, then photograph his paintings, digitize the images and save the results in the format required by your business? Similarly, let writers write in a manner consistent with their own creative processes. If you don't understand how this enables them to produce their best work, and enjoy what they do, and benefit your business by continually producing top-shelf content, then I'm not going to explain it to you. Joe -- http://cms-list.org/ trim your replies for good karma.
