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Subject: Re: [docbook-apps] production environment


Any comparison of DocBook authoring to Word authoring would involve
consideration of an XML editor - so you would be looking at XMLSpy,
XMetaL, XXE, Oxygen, Emacs nXML, etc. Maybe you should consider Open
Office instead? I highly doubt that authoring with DocBook can be made
as "easy" (point and click - drag and drop - WYSIWYG) as authoring
with Word, especially since Word does not enforce semantics - though
some of the XML editors can probably come close. Also, do you
personally use DocBook already?

If you want "easy" + inexpensive I would look to XXE, though it has
(had?) an annoying limitation with xi:include on text, rather than the
default XML parsed include.

A multinational corporation would probably need to hire someone (good
people to look at might be the authors of the main stylesheets and
schema) who has experience with this sort of transition.

I guess many of your costs will be near term in comparison to your
benefits. Some of the greatest benefits involve data
portability/transformability and freedom from vendor lock-in.

On 8/7/06, Aaron Mehl <aamehl@actcom.net.il> wrote:
> Hi all,
> I am working in a multinational who documents in msword. I have
> suggested to move from word to XML publishing. The idea is to at first
> save all docs as wordml and then round trip to docbook. And only then
> decide whether to use Docbook or a custom XML for our company.
>
> The issues are:
> 1. being able to exactly replicate our Templates using docbookxsl style
> sheets
> 2. cost of set up and maintenance of the system
> 3. Authoring environments that are inexpensive and won't frighten MS
> word users
> 4. The ability to let those who just can't switch continue to author in
> MS word.
> To name a few.
>
> So now the question:
> For those of you working in a production environment using Docbook:
>
> 1. How hard was moving to Docbook?
> 2. How expensive was moving?
> 3. How time consuming?
> 4. Are there noticeable savings in money and time?
> 5. How practical is it to round trip authoring in msword and publishing
> in docbook?
> 6. Do the writers like docbook or word better?
> 7. Is this possible with free software or must commercial apps be used?
> 8. What unexpected costs obstacles arouse during the conversion process.
> 9. What does it cost to maintain the system?
> 10. If you were given the choice to do it over again would you still
> move to using Docbook?
> 11. Were the docbookxsl style sheets enough with customizations or were
> new style sheets built from the ground up necessary?
>
> Other comments?
>
> Thanks,
> Aaron
>
>
>
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-- 
http://chris.chiasson.name/


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