Fwd: RE: Madcap Flare and Docbook

[Sean Wheller <sean@inwords.co.za>]

For those intersted, a response from Mike Hamilton.

----------  Forwarded Message  ----------

Subject: RE: Madcap Flare and Docbook
Date: Friday 29 September 2006 22:26
From: "Mike Hamilton" <mhamilton@madcapsoftware.com>
To: "Sean Wheller" <sean@inwords.co.za>

Hi Sean,

Sorry for the delay, my fall travel schedule is keeping me pretty busy.

We have not completely nailed down all of the exact details of what the
DocBook support will look like at this time, it is an evolving process.
As you mention, DocBook support can become a can of worms very quickly.
Our goal is to provide a best bang for the buck approach making
difficult decisions where necessary, to try and support at least 80% of
the DocBook user community if possible.

At this point people can feel free to send me their dream sheet requests
via email (you have my permission to publish my direct email address to
your list) and as we get to a more presentable point in development I
would be happy to join the discussion groups and even to host some early
"sneak peek" web demonstrations to get feedback on prototypes.

Much of what was said in the interview was frank and open about where
our plans are going, I hope I didn't build up too many short term
expectations. Much of what I talked about will be next summer at the
earliest. The good news is that Flare version 2 is shipping this
afternoon, so we are hitting our delivery dates.

Mike Hamilton
V.P. Product Management
MadCap Software
http://www.madcapsoftware.com

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Sean Wheller [mailto:sean@inwords.co.za]
> Sent: Wednesday, September 27, 2006 6:40 AM
> To: Mike Hamilton; DocBook Mailing List
> Subject: Madcap Flare and Docbook
>
> Hello Mike,
>
> I have listened to the posdcast interview with you that is available

from

> http://techwritervoices.com/
>
> This has provided me with some great insight into Flare. In addition

to

> the
> technical aspects you have prsented in the Podcastabout, I think what
> struck
> me as most encouraging is your apparent willingness to embrace and

commit

> to
> open and standards-based formats.
>
> Of particular interest to myself and I think also the community of

Docbook

> users, is just what level of support Flare will provide for Docbook.
>
> As you know, Docbook is a large schema with powerful options for
> single-sourcing, mutli-channel publishing and customization of
> transformations for multiple target presentational output formats.
>
> While there have been many attempts to produce a Docbook Editor that

can

> mange
> all the features and capabilities of Docbook, not many have provided a
> simple
> solution that virtually anybody can use.
>
> In addition to hearing your views on the editing or workflow

environment,

> I
> think many people would also be interested in understanding how Madcap
> will
> address issues such as tool-chain, portability, olinking,

bibliographies,

> indexing and so forth.
>
> The list of questions is long. Already I have one question from a

Docbook

> users who is asking, "What major formats this Flare thing can turn

into

> DocBook XML?"
>
> The same person would like to learn, which versions of DocBook you

intend

> to
> support, technologies involved in the conversion, etc...
>
> It would be great if you could subscribe to the Docbook mailing lists,

if

> you
> have not already done so, and perhaps partake in discussion around

Flare

> and
> Docbook. If not, feel free to reply direct to me and I will forward

your

> response to the list.
>
> Hope you can help shed some light on the subject.
>
> Many thanks,
>
> --
> Ask me about the Monkey.
>
> Sean Wheller
> Technical Author
> sean@inwords.co.za
> +27-84-854-9408
> http://www.inwords.co.za

-------------------------------------------------------

-- 
Ask me about the Monkey.

Sean Wheller
Technical Author
sean@inwords.co.za
+27-84-854-9408
http://www.inwords.co.za