This is something I have been in favor of for at least 10 years. It would be great to be able to set up "read-only" templates (both structured and unstructured) for users, particularly those with fairly simple documents. If it were inexpensive enough ($99 at the most), it could be used by clients that need to create, edit, and exchange documents. It wouldn't necessarily have to be totally WYSIWYG. These documents could then be opened with FrameMaker and be processed for various outputs. It is a nuisance to go back and forth from FrameMaker and Word, especially since it is difficult to enforce standards in Word. Frame Light would be used to enforce standards during data entry, while FrameMaker could be used as a print engine. This goes back to a more efficient division of labor where writers and editors don't need to be concerned as much with look and feel, but with applying the correct structure to the documents.
Rick Quatro Carmen Publishing Inc. 585-659-8267 rick at frameexpert.com *** Frame Automation blog at http://frameautomation.com From: [email protected] [mailto:framers-bounces at lists.frameusers.com] On Behalf Of Anthony Davey Sent: Tuesday, February 22, 2011 5:57 AM To: framers at lists.frameusers.com Subject: Frame Light, what's the potential market? Cross posted to dita-frameusers, so ignore as needed ... I had an interesting discussion with the Frame Product Manager a few days ago at the London launch event for TCS3. It seems there is the motivation to develop a business case for 'Frame Light' which could be used by SMEs to create and review content, but little else. I work in an environment where I am the only Frame user (experimenting with 10 at the moment) in an organisation with over 100 SMEs producing content in Word. Most do their own thing, or come to me to 'fix' or standardise stuff once it is collected together. So, I would want 'Frame Light' to allow content creation in structured or unstructured format (including DITA one day), but that requires the content provider to use only the pre-determined paragraph formats and a few text styles (emphasis, bold, sub- and superscript); and insert images by reference. I can get around a need to define conditional text by using different paragraph format names. All this in templates that can only be developed or altered by full license holders. To support the development of a business case can you post what (other) functionality you would want Frame Light to have, how many licenses you would (ideally) want in your organisation, how many full Frame licenses you currently have (for comparison purposes), how you would want FL delivered (local install, web-based, floating licenses), and what you would want/need to pay for it to get it accepted as an alternative to Whatever word processing your SMEs currently use? Creating more disciplined (structured), reusable, content which can be output with a similar look and feel, and doesn't reinvent a wheel each time an SME puts fingers to keyboard, is a concept which has almost reached its time in my organisation. Others may be close, or even ahead, so there must be demand for this. Please let me know. Best regards, Ant _____________________________________________________________________ The content of this email (and any attachment) is confidential. It may also be legally privileged or otherwise protected from disclosure. This email should not be used by anyone who is not an original intended recipient, nor may it be copied or disclosed to anyone who is not an original intended recipient. If you have received this email by mistake please notify us by emailing the sender, and then delete the email and any copies from your system. Liability cannot be accepted for statements made which are clearly the senders own and not made on behalf of the Rail Safety and Standards Board (RSSB). This email has been scanned by the MessageLabs Email Security System. For more information please visit http://www.messagelabs.com/email ______________________________________________________________________ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: <http://lists.frameusers.com/pipermail/framers/attachments/20110222/55b53695/attachment.html>
