InDesign vs. FrameMaker?

[fast-tl]

We need some advice for a client. They produce training manuals with text, many photos, technical drawings and tables. Page sizes vary from 8.5x11 to 34x11, and page counts number from 30 impressions to over 1000 pages depending on the subject matter of the manual. The end result is a print-ready PDF.

Our customer's team uses Adobe FrameMaker to author these documents, and they've asked for a recommendation on other software applications they should consider. They want to ensure they're using the appropriate application for creating their documents.

Adobe InDesign was mentioned as an alternative to FrameMaker. What feedback can you give me on InDesign vs. FrameMaker for technical documents, based on the above description of the work?

[fast-tl]

Did I not ask this correctly? I posted the question on another forum at a different site and I got 14 views, 0 replies. Here, I have 51 views, 0 replies. 8O

Is there something I can clarify with my question so that I get more feedback?

[kevinf]

Lots of people have Indesign experience, however it is a distinct possibility not many have extensive Framemaker experience and they feel unqualified to give you an answer.

[Joe]

Originally Posted by kevinf

Lots of people have Indesign experience, however it is a distinct possibility not many have extensive Framemaker experience and they feel unqualified to give you an answer.

That would apply to me. I love InDesign but have never used FrameMaker so it's hard to compare something I've never used.

[DesignHouse]

My knowledge of Framemaker is limited! But I understand that it is quite heavyweight application (a bit like phototype setting, very programmable) but therein lies the rub, can you replace the typesetter if he moves on?

Do you not have Adobe's representative in Dallas or at least a phonecall away? they could give non-bias opinion with regards Framemaker and InDesign.

Just done a google try this address
http://www.adobe.com/products/framem..._vs_fm7_ue.pdf

[knitgirl145]

I have done exactly the kind of technical manuals of which you speak, and I have always used InDesign (actually started on PM 6.5 and converted to ID 2.0). My FrameMaker experience is limited to playing with the trial version for a few hours. As far as I know, FrameMaker is no longer supported for the Mac platform, and many of its long documents features (footnotes, endnotes, etc.) are now part of IDCS3. Some other long document features have long been a part of InDesign (TOCs, indexes, etc). From one who has spent years creating long documents, InDesign lacks nothing for me. It has more long document support than I have ever needed. Some of my favorite features for use in manuals were tables, native PDF placement, shadows, nested styles, and the best character and paragraph styling EVER. Let me tell you, I did a happy dance around the office when nested styles came out! Same as for running table headers and alternating fills and strokes. Wow, that was a great day! And now IDCS3 has bought Teacup Software "Cell Styles" and "Table Styles" plugins, so those features are built in right out of the box. Very cool. I haven't done long docs in a couple of years, but I think I read that there was now support for figure numbers as well. Like, "please refer to figure 1.3 on page XX.", and when the figure gets moved, the page numer reference will get updated. That feature is not that exciting to the average designer doing brochures and business cards, but if you're working on a 1000 page document and have several thousand figures to keep track of, this is HUGE! I know FrameMaker has probably had these long document features for quite some time, but I like ID because its got a beautiful interface (when I used FrameMakers, it was very clunky) and is friendly toward making manuals beautiful in addition to functional. And I can use it on a mac.

ID is also highly scriptable and has support for XML documents.

I've never met another prepress person who had any FrameMaker experience, so converting to InDesign may be helpful to whoever their output provider is, as they could easily work on the native files if need be. Again, this may not matter, if they're just sending PDFs, and don't use every transparency effect under the sun. Technical manuals tend to be very predictable and rather boring visually, so that type of PDF might not need much (if any) prepress fixing.

I vote for ID, lastly because more people use it. Both from writer/designer standpoint, as well as a printing staindpoint. ID just rocks.

[born2print]

FWIW,
I've received jobs in Frammaker over the years and they go OK.
They are always 1 or 2 color LARGE page count manual type of work.
Framemaker is NOT a POS Microsoft software, but it is a pain to keep updayed and staff trained just for 1-2 jobs per year.