Re: Any Doc to XML converter ?

  Mike,

----- Original Message -----
> Date: Wed, 20 Jun 2001 10:01:27 +0100
> From: "Michael Kay" <mhkay@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
>
>> ... So the XML from Word isn't going to get people the benefit
>> they think (and that this article implies).
>
> That may be true of most people, but I certainly know of communities, e.g.
> technical authors, who are highly disciplined in their use of word, and
the
> goal of allowing them to continue using this tool, while capturing the
> output in structured form, is certainly an attractive one.
>
> I often use the Word -> XML route myself, generally via Word's "Save as
> HTML" option, but only (so far) for adhoc exercises where a fair bit of
> manual postprocessing is acceptable. Any tool that makes it easier is
> welcome.
>
> Mike Kay
> Software AG

  As a technical writer (TW) I must say that you have written this well.
Word can be a wonderful tool if it is accompanied by a good Word add-in
product. I use Doc-To-Help (well, I am a little biased here, we do sell, at
least try to sell this product in Slovenia) for creating and converting
documentation on paper and in Windows help, HTML, (MS) HTML Help and
JavaHelp format. I can tweak an output by additional effort but it's usualy
one time job only.

  I have tried to suggest a product vendor why don't they use their
knowledge with some XML technologies, at least they could provide another
output to DocBook article or so. Their latest e-mail just states they will
have something big soon. Hmm, I'm waiting more than two years allready ...
Overall any HAT (Help Authoring Tool) vendor should provide some XML output
soon. When you get TWs on your team, all benefit (when did you last time
have some time for writing documentation?).

  This will not seem logical but I have much better support for my national
characters in Word, Word add-ins and XSLT processors than I have in any XML
editor (not using UTF-8 or UTF-16 as clients don't want that yet).

Sergej Rinc, Certified Doc-To-Help Trainer
Master XML, Master XSL, Master WAP
Member, International Webmasters Association http://iwanet.org
mailto:sergej@xxxxxxx, http://sergej.rinc.ws


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