🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <1990Jul9.032311.6040@eagle.lerc.nasa.gov>, tpf4434@DOMAIN_2.lerc.nasa.gov (Teddy Fabian) writes:
> [InterLeaf] files are portable between platforms with some conditions..
> (ie. how it was stored.. and what software you're using..)

     That doesn't sound too portable to me...
     
     After the number of messages describing InterLeaf, I feel compelled to
mention Frame Maker, from Frame Technology.

     Frame is an outstanding tool, far superior to InterLeaf (IMHO).  It runs
on Sun, Apollo, HP, DEC, NeXT, and Mac platforms, and documents are COMPLETELY
interchangeable.  It is incredibly easy to use, is cheap ($2500 for the
complete package; get a quote from InterLeaf on the ENTIRE package, not just
the intro-level slim TPS stuff they push), and does an excellent job with
any number or size documents.

     Frame really wins on "unusual" layouts, like newsletters and such.
It has, hands down, the best mathematical WYSIWYG typesetter in the business.
The integrated editor and spelling checker are much better than InterLeaf,
and the search and replace function is unparalleled (you can do things like
search for a particular font usage, and replace with anything, including
a graphical object).

     The InterLeaf interface is, in the opinion of many, just terrible.
EVERYTHING is in a menu, and the menu contents change based upon mouse
position and document state.  While InterLeaf has some fancy name for this
and claims that it is better, recent studies (see SIGCHI, April, 1989)
have shown this to be a less effective interface, producing greater
cognitive loading upon the user.  There are few, if any, keyboard
accelerators.

     Frame uses a combination of dialog boxes and pull-down menus for a
very Mac-like interface.  There are keyboard equivalents for every 
operation, letting expert touch typists do everything without touching
the mouse.

     A recent review of DTP products for the Mac refused to consider
InterLeaf a Mac product, because its interface was so foreign that Mac users
could not readily use it.  The July 2, 1990 InfoWorld rated the InterLeaf
interface "unacceptable" in terms ease of learning, and just "satisfactory"
in ease of use.  All other tools (Frame, Pagemaker, Xpresss, and Ventura)
were rated either good or very good in ease of use.  InfoWorld rated
InterLeaf last of these five packages overall, while Frame came in next
to last.

     Admittedly, I am a very big fan of Frame.  But do not, DO NOT, consider
purchasing InterLeaf without trying Frame first.  Call 1-800-U4FRAME to get
a free demo copy.

     And, ask your InterLeaf sales rep why so many InterLeaf employees
have quit to go work at Frame :-)

Chuck Musciano				ARPA  : chuck@trantor.harris-atd.com
Harris Corporation 			Usenet: ...!uunet!x102a!trantor!chuck
PO Box 37, MS 3A/1912			AT&T  : (407) 727-6131
Melbourne, FL 32902			FAX   : (407) 729-2537

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