Shawn Willden wrote:
I'm looking into the possibility of using LyX for design documentation, and I'd
like to get some feedback on the feasibility of what I'd like to do, and
recommendations for packages that might help.
We currently manage all of our design documentation as Microsoft Word
documents. There are numerous problems with this, which I probably don't have
to describe to the readership of this list.
Make a list of those problems anyway. It might be helpful when you want
the others to switch to using lyx for design documents. I got a
word-user to
use lyx by pointing out how changing the layout template for _existing_
documents is painless with lyx. This sort of operation happened to
be a big pain with word.
If there are numerous problems, then everybody have their favourite
problem that really pisses them off. If you usually can demonstrate how
lyx doesn't have that issue, you'll win people over.
The advantages I see to using LyX are:
More standardized output. We have Word templates, but obviously Word allows
people to munge the doc however they like and, frankly, very few people
actually know how to use Word, so they tend to screw things up with no idea how
to fix it. I think an appropriate document class can provide consistent layout
and formatting (though I'm a raw novice with LyX and LaTeX).
This should work well. It is possible to wreck a lyx document
by ovverriding everything in the template, but most people won't
as doing this is a lot of work.
Prettier, more readable output. LaTeX just produces better results than Word.
Definitely. Goodbye to those ragged right margins. No more of those
headings sitting at the bottom of a page.
Better change management. We can put our documents in CVS! And perhaps even
merge changes from parallel work streams, etc.
Easier document creation/editing. Word is a PITA to use, and people tend to
spend lots of time tweaking things. I think separating text entry from
fiddling with formatting (and making fiddling with formatting hard) will
significantly reduce time spent on documentation.
Sure. Less options for "easy fiddling", less time spent. And the result
looks better too.
Those are my theories. Comments are appreciated.
The disadvantages I see are:
Everyone knows Word -- or thinks they do -- and they're going to be somewhat
reluctant to change. If there are any difficulties or obstacles, they won't
want to do it.
Get your lyx document class working first. Set up cvs stuff too, if
possible. Do a demonstration showing how well this works, do a lot
of stuff that is tricky to get right in word. ;-)
It may not be feasible for a novice like me to produce a document class that
provides the layout we want.
Keep asking then. There is a lot of help to be had about these things.
Helge Hafting
