Re: Multi-language/translation

At 04:17 PM 1/7/2004 +1100, melanie.kendell wrote:

>But lots of "delivery" tools force you into a web-centric model which is 
>of no use to us.

You are quite right that a significant portion of CMS are web centric. CMS 
has become synonymous with web content management (WCM) and that is 
actually a misnomer. Some of the previously WCM vendors are now calling 
their tools ECM (Enterprise Content Management) and they may or may not 
help to address your problem. However there are products that have solid 
publications support.

For low cost XML-based CMS consider:
    * Progressive Information Technologies Vasont www.vasont.com
    * Siberlogic SyberSafe www.siberlogic.com
Another low cost system is Author-IT www.authorit.com that is not XML-based 
but handles reuse very well.

Mid range you could look at:
    * Vasont again (they have both a small shop and larger organization 
version)
    * XyEnterprise Content@ (XML) www.xyenterprise.com
Then there are the biggies. Note that both of these work with XML, but are 
not XML-based systems:
    * Documentum www.documentum.com
    * Panagon FileNet www.panagon.com


>I'm happy to set up stylesheets, etc, but I need something that allows me 
>to manage the amalgamation of chunks into a coherent "document".

See above.

>I have been a technical communicator for 10+ years and for most of that 
>time I have been single-sourcing paper and online help so I am well used 
>to building an information architecture, both for usability by readers, 
>and for reuse in multiple information products.

Great. Many fail to understand the issues of designing content effectively 
before implementing a CMS.


>I agree this is fundamental to the solution but it is not an issue in our 
>case (I am actually reading "Managing Enterprise Content" at the moment 
>and there haven't been any surprises in there for me yet, it's good common 
>sense that is unfortunately not all that common - if only I can get my 
>boss to read it!).

Glad to hear that if reflects your understanding. Bosses never like to 
read, maybe a webinar?

>
>Again I have to say "but"... there are still very few CMS that aren't 
>fixated on web content and consequently don't allow a tool chain to be 
>built that handles all types of output.
>
>There seems to be two ends of the spectrum, systems that only understand 
>the requirements for websites and systems that were once DMS that don't 
>handle content as chunks very well. I'm not saying there aren't systems 
>out there, but they are few and far between and it takes a lot to unearth 
>them from the plethora of vendors that claim that their systems will do 
>everything (for a price).

See above. The systems that handle chunks the most effectively are 
XML-based CMS.

>Our pilot document is a glossary covering all our products. This should 
>allow us to build a very simple content model (basically boiling down to 
>GlossDef and GlossTerm with some containment elements) but will allow us 
>to experiment with complexity in terms of metadata and trialing multiple 
>languages.

Many of the products listed also integrate with products like Trados.


_____________________________

The Rockley Bulletin addresses issues of importance to those interested in 
content management, content reuse, new tools and technologies, resources, 
strategies, best practices and more. http://www.rockley.com/Bulletin.htm

"Managing Enterprise Content: A Unified Content Strategy" (ISBN 0735713065)
by Ann Rockley with Pamela Kostur and Steve Manning is now available from 
amazon.com or amazon.ca. For more information visit 
www.managingenterprisecontent.com.

www.rockley.com, 905-415-1885



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