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- Newsgroups: comp.text.frame
- Path: sparky!uunet!cis.ohio-state.edu!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!uwm.edu!spool.mu.edu!umn.edu!csus.edu!news
- From: hodges@huckleberry.sfsu.edu (Jack &)
- Subject: Re: Frame 4.0 (Was Re: No 4.0 for NeXT???)
- Message-ID: <1992Dec14.190417.16280@csus.edu>
- Sender: news@csus.edu
- Reply-To: hodges@huckleberry.sfsu.edu
- Organization: California State University, Sacramento
- References: <1992Dec14.030417.1072@cbnewsk.cb.att.com>
- Date: Mon, 14 Dec 1992 19:04:17 GMT
- Lines: 50
-
- In article <1992Dec14.030417.1072@cbnewsk.cb.att.com> noraa@cbnewsk.cb.att.com
- (aaron.l.hoffmeyer) writes:
- >
- > Well, since I'm not using a NeXT box, this doesn't concern me (now),
- > but I would think that Frame Technologies could ill-afford to abandon
- > this platform-just because of the negative publicity of abandoning
- > members of an established customer base. It's the kind of thing that
- > will make users of other platforms wary of Frame's propensity to just
- > turn away from a decent-sized group of customers because the
- > bottom-line was not everything they had hoped. I mean, what's next?
-
- Sun Open Look :-)
-
- I agree that this is a scary point of view from a user's point of view,
- and my posting was intended to make that clear. I bet Frame is planning
- to dig in with Mac, Windows, and Sun X and hope they can survive.
- Personally I believe that the NS486 would be a wise choice simply because
- it is a much nicer user interface and provides the same functionality
- as any Unix/X box. Of course, it does not have the appeal of X, and, of
- course, Jobs and Sun hate each other so a port to Sun would be a dream,
- but it would make more sense in terms of future growth than something
- like NT (to me). The most frightening thing about Frame even
- considering abandoning a platform/user base is that the most attractive
- thing about FrameMaker is its cross-platform compatibility. For example,
- we were considering trying to get a site license for FrameMaker, here,
- simply because we could run in on HPs, Suns, Apollos, NeXTs, Macs, PCs,
- and even in batch mode on a VAX. If they start dropping platforms,
- then that idea goes up in smoke, which is REALLY disappointing. I am
- hoping that, whatever Frame says to us, that they secretly have every
- intention of continuing support for their various platforms. As you say,
- they ARE making plenty of money, so the scare tactics are a bit confusing.
-
- > * The graphics tool has always been a pet-peeve. Frankly, I
- > think it bites too. However, with live-links to CorelDraw, I
- > think I can work around this one.
-
- Live links are a reasonable idea whose time may have come for Frame Tech.
- As long as their look and feel is not compromised, and as long as the
- package(s) chosen work equally well on all their supported platforms, I am
- all for it. Corel Draw? It only works on a couple boxes to my knowledge.
- I should think a broader platform package would be more in line with
- Frame's original intent: cross platform dominance.
-
- Since Frame promised Bibliographic support two years ago, maybe it would
- be wise for them to do as Microsoft has done in pairing up with EndNote
- as a third-party option. I do not really care, personally, how or where
- the support comes from, as long as the price doesn't increase, since I
- am not the one who claimed to be the PREMIER book preparation package.
-
- Jack Hodges
-