Comments on: A Little More about RoboHelp and Flare http://www.gryphonmountain.net/2008/04/a-little-more-about-robohelp-and-flare/ Technical Communication and Other Writing Topics, by Ben Minson Wed, 11 Jan 2012 04:05:49 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.4 By: Charles http://www.gryphonmountain.net/2008/04/a-little-more-about-robohelp-and-flare/#comment-68 Charles Tue, 15 Apr 2008 05:41:07 +0000 http://www.gryphonmountain.net/?p=26#comment-68 Wupps, I had to list the rock paper scissors with tags, didn't I? Rock - Service Regarding the capability to perform the best service for the customer (meaning the purchaser of the software) currently I think there's no competition for MadCap. Then again, I know them. I don't know who supports RoboHelp, but I used to. When they worked stateside and still understood the product, that is. Paper - resources Regarding the capability to develop features through dollars spent in innovation - the jury is out with that. Adobe's strategy is to offshore $200 million in development dollars to India. That gives you 5 to 7 times more bang for the buck - something like a billion dollars worth of development. Sort of like that Aliens movie where the Hicks character said to nuke the site from orbit in order to be sure. Scissors - targeted smart bombing of development MadCap's strategy has a bit more finesse. According to my interviews with their staff, they have been focusing on making the features that improve the workflow for technical communication. Moral of the story: If you've got old code, you better have **** good support. If you've got new code and killer award winning support and innovation, it's like a trifecta. Wupps, I had to list the rock paper scissors with tags, didn’t I?

Rock – Service

Regarding the capability to perform the best service for the customer (meaning the purchaser of the software) currently I think there’s no competition for MadCap. Then again, I know them. I don’t know who supports RoboHelp, but I used to. When they worked stateside and still understood the product, that is.

Paper – resources

Regarding the capability to develop features through dollars spent in innovation – the jury is out with that. Adobe’s strategy is to offshore $200 million in development dollars to India. That gives you 5 to 7 times more bang for the buck – something like a billion dollars worth of development. Sort of like that Aliens movie where the Hicks character said to nuke the site from orbit in order to be sure.

Scissors – targeted smart bombing of development

MadCap’s strategy has a bit more finesse. According to my interviews with their staff, they have been focusing on making the features that improve the workflow for technical communication. Moral of the story: If you’ve got old code, you better have **** good support. If you’ve got new code and killer award winning support and innovation, it’s like a trifecta.

]]> By: Charles http://www.gryphonmountain.net/2008/04/a-little-more-about-robohelp-and-flare/#comment-67 Charles Tue, 15 Apr 2008 05:36:25 +0000 http://www.gryphonmountain.net/?p=26#comment-67 Regarding preference, I couldn't agree more that 'everyone has a nose' fits the bill. Here's my schnozz, poked into everyone's business. Here's my take on tech support between the two companies in the past year: http://charlesjeter.com/category/technical-support/ Regarding the capability to perform the best service for the customer (meaning the purchaser of the software) currently I think there's no competition for MadCap. Then again, I know them. I don't know who supports RoboHelp, but I used to. When they worked stateside and still understood the product, that is. >>Rock<> Paper <> Scissors < Regarding preference, I couldn’t agree more that ‘everyone has a nose’ fits the bill. Here’s my schnozz, poked into everyone’s business.

Here’s my take on tech support between the two companies in the past year:

http://charlesjeter.com/category/technical-support/

Regarding the capability to perform the best service for the customer (meaning the purchaser of the software) currently I think there’s no competition for MadCap. Then again, I know them. I don’t know who supports RoboHelp, but I used to. When they worked stateside and still understood the product, that is. >>Rock<> Paper <> Scissors <

]]> By: Ben http://www.gryphonmountain.net/2008/04/a-little-more-about-robohelp-and-flare/#comment-66 Ben Mon, 14 Apr 2008 22:37:27 +0000 http://www.gryphonmountain.net/?p=26#comment-66 I agree that customer service is huge. I have heard through the RoboHelp forums that a number of people have a difficult time with Adobe tech support. I've had to deal with it only once, and it wasn't for a technical problem that I couldn't get around—I just had a question that I needed an answer to. I think that just like having quality documentation shows that you care about your users, having quality support in place does the same. I agree that customer service is huge. I have heard through the RoboHelp forums that a number of people have a difficult time with Adobe tech support. I’ve had to deal with it only once, and it wasn’t for a technical problem that I couldn’t get around—I just had a question that I needed an answer to. I think that just like having quality documentation shows that you care about your users, having quality support in place does the same.

]]> By: Craig http://www.gryphonmountain.net/2008/04/a-little-more-about-robohelp-and-flare/#comment-65 Craig Mon, 14 Apr 2008 13:48:23 +0000 http://www.gryphonmountain.net/?p=26#comment-65 I can say that when I contacted Adobe about a problem I was having, I spent lots of time in phone menu ****. Getting to talk to a live person was just about impossible.In contrast, MadCap's leaders give you their email addresses. If I have a problem, or just want to say hi how's the weather out there in beautiful La Jolla, I can do that via email or phone. And someone will get back to me in a reasonable amount of time. They are friendly and knowledgeable. That's all I ask. I can say that when I contacted Adobe about a problem I was having, I spent lots of time in phone menu ****. Getting to talk to a live person was just about impossible.In contrast, MadCap’s leaders give you their email addresses. If I have a problem, or just want to say hi how’s the weather out there in beautiful La Jolla, I can do that via email or phone. And someone will get back to me in a reasonable amount of time. They are friendly and knowledgeable. That’s all I ask.

]]> By: Praful http://www.gryphonmountain.net/2008/04/a-little-more-about-robohelp-and-flare/#comment-64 Praful Fri, 11 Apr 2008 03:41:41 +0000 http://www.gryphonmountain.net/?p=26#comment-64 Kadov Tags are out in Robohelp 7. Try the Robohelp 7 trail version, download available @ adobe site. Kadov Tags are out in Robohelp 7. Try the Robohelp 7 trail version, download available @ adobe site.

]]> By: Ben http://www.gryphonmountain.net/2008/04/a-little-more-about-robohelp-and-flare/#comment-63 Ben Thu, 10 Apr 2008 22:30:17 +0000 http://www.gryphonmountain.net/?p=26#comment-63 Actually, I did see those a while back, and I actually agree that kadov tags needed to die. They'll go away only as fast as people use RoboHelp 7 or later versions instead of earlier versions. Upgrading a project to RH7 strips out kadov tags (finally...). Actually, I did see those a while back, and I actually agree that kadov tags needed to die. They’ll go away only as fast as people use RoboHelp 7 or later versions instead of earlier versions. Upgrading a project to RH7 strips out kadov tags (finally…).

]]> By: Tom Johnson http://www.gryphonmountain.net/2008/04/a-little-more-about-robohelp-and-flare/#comment-62 Tom Johnson Thu, 10 Apr 2008 17:39:53 +0000 http://www.gryphonmountain.net/?p=26#comment-62 my tags didn't appear. my tags didn’t appear.

]]> By: Tom Johnson http://www.gryphonmountain.net/2008/04/a-little-more-about-robohelp-and-flare/#comment-61 Tom Johnson Thu, 10 Apr 2008 17:39:23 +0000 http://www.gryphonmountain.net/?p=26#comment-61 I guess you haven't seen the Kadov tags T shirts. <a href="http://www.madcapsoftware.com/store/c-13-madwear.aspx" rel="nofollow">See them here</a> I guess you haven’t seen the Kadov tags T shirts.

See them here

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