FrameMaker 9 - OMG! WHY DID YOU CHANGE SOMETHING THAT WORKED????

April 8, 2009

      I had purchased FrameMaker 8 at home --- and tried to update at work - but it took so long, that at work I got FrameMaker 9.
 
      FrameMaker 9 is a shock to the system.
 
      The interface was designed by a bunch of monkeys in a room.  Couched by the bozos who designed Word 2007 no doubt.
 
      (You can almost add Word 2008 (Mac) but it has a bug and doesn't display toolbars without a bunch of work-around steps - to be repeated for every file and for everytime you open a file. I am back to using Word 2004.)
 
      First - FrameMaker comes up FULL SCREEN and a frozen layout mode.  Full screen can be handled. The frozen layout was a bloody mess of stuff I don't need on my screen. I am not running dual or 30 inch monitors.
 
      OK - took a couple of trial-and error moments and a lot of frustration to CLOSE DOWN a lot of crap I don't want to see. (was not immediately obvious)
 
      And then discover how to yank certain windows off the frozen stack and put them where I want them - floating.
 
      I have finally figured out I can drag the edit window too - and bury the book file list (why would they assume I need it in my face?)
 
       Follow that with the fact that every file is converted from 7 or 8 to 9 on first opening and then you resave.
 
      Best approach - open the book - and open and close and save every file in it, then update the book.  For every active book you are working on.
 
      It managed to trip over a file with unavailable fonts - how on Earth I don't know - the source file has limited resources.
 
      I had forgotten how to deal with that. Vague memory - been awhile.
 
      This led to discovering Adobe Air -- oh good grief! Just open the @#@@&$&% help file for heaven's sakes!
 
      I managed to sort out that mess and update the book and save it.
 
      Took 2 hours.
 
      It is now more comfortable. (Although when doing something the first time - it is a shock to realize they pinned it to one of the frozenmenus - it's a tabwhen you expect a window. I am learning my way aroudn this horror. No - I DO NOT like it. It does NOT improve my workflow - it impedes it!
 
      Now FrameMaker 8 has the same - "I will convert you and you can't go back" death-rattle routine so that part wasn't unexpected.
 
      No such thing as compatibility mode anymore.  (Why not???)
 
      Now --- there is still a problem I can't figure out. There is always (always) an idiotic window that opens on software when you first open it for the day that you can tell to shut up and go away. Some brain child lays out a bunch of links or tasks to be "helpful" - we've seen it on Microsoft crap for years.
 
      For the high-productivity computer masters like me (I have used Adobe since the company was created) - these things are a royal pain. I am not so sure they help anyone for that matter. Just another key stroke to kill them. Long live Carpel Tunnel. (You see them on all Adobe software including Dreamweaver. I HATE THAT! Can't we have a preference setting and loose them????)

      10 to 1 some marketing brainchild decided this was good advertising - sort of like the annoying LOGO Microsoft has on Office 2007 - replacing the "FILE" menu. The only thing it does is remind you that you don't like this feature in this software and contemplate replacing the package. I for one am NOT moving to CS4 - I am afraid to! I may never upgrade again!
 
      Well - FrameMaker has a big ugly mess in YELLOW-ORANGE  for it's  window  (can we pick out a more jarring distracting ugly-looking mess?  Try harder!)
 
      It doesn't shut up or go away.
 
      It annoys the hell out of me.
 
      I will be looking into how to kill that puppy.
 
      T'ain't obvious.