XML Content Management and Framemaker
We rather wish we could spend all our time hacking away at FDK add-ons to Framemaker… but sometimes, we have to write too. 
And when content passes a certain size, or when questions like single-sourcing based on XML come up, it’s a good idea to at least consider content mangament systems.
This glowing review makes it sound like Siberlogic’s product line offers compelling choices for a CMS integrated with Framemaker for managing XML content. This bit at the end, though, casts doubt on the rest…
About the author:
Rob Hanna is President of the Toronto Chapter of the Society for Technical Communication (STC) and a very active participant in the local technical writing community. In 2005 Rob joined SiberLogic as Director of Professional Services. His expertise in single-sourcing and experience as a technical communicator bring a strong user-centered focus to his contribution to the SiberLogic team.
This could be a case of “I liked the product so much, I joined the company”– kind of a Victor Kiam move… in fact, that innocent explanation is the most likely one. (I’ve seen the product demo’d, at least, and frankly, it does look awfully good.) But this certainly an eyebrow-raiser.
A clearer disclosure, at least, of when the review was published vs. when Hanna joined Siberlogic as an employee would help readers understand how to take (or leave) the review.
The real issue is not Rob Hanna’s date of employment as much it is our responsibility to understand that marketing materials are supposed to be “glowing” and are produced by the vendor. Reviews, on the other hand, are come from independent sources outside of the organization selling the product. No matter when Rob was employed by the company, his review is nothing more than (an educated and informed) marketing piece aimed at BOTH helping folks to understand that he (and by extension SiberLogic) understands the technical writing industry (and our pains) and to act as a marketing piece for the SiberLogic line of products. It’s certainly useful information, but not a product review.
At the upcoming Documentation and Training Conference in Vancouver this April 18-21, 2007, we’ll be exploring “The User Experience”. Several presentations will actually be aimed at allowing attendees to “test drive” and provide feedback on products and how they work. This ought to be an interesting experience. This is the first Documentation and Training event ever on the West Coast (and a first in Canada). Ann Rockley (www.rockley.com) will offer a session on “Shopping for Content Management Systems” that ought to be of much interest to those who have never done so. One CMS vendor will announce a brand new product and allow attendees to critique it (that takes some balls) and Adobe (one of the Platinum sponsors) will certainly be announcing some relevant news. You can learn more about the conference here: http://www.doctrain.com.
At the next Content Management Professionals Summit in San Francisco this April 13, 2007, CM Pros will examine what’s involved in “Managing a Content Management Project”. Expect workshops on selecting content management systems, selling the idea to your boss, and managing change. Learn more about CM Pros: http://www.cmprofessionals.org.
And, if that weren’t enough, my site, TheContentWrangler.com will feature new content management and authoring tool reviews from real-world users. When combined with these and other resources — including the Malcontents Podcast series (http://www.cmprofessionals.org/podcasts/malcontents/) and Lisa Welchman’s CMS Advisor podcast series (http://www.cmsadvisor.com/) — a clear picture of what is (and what is not) marketing fluff emerges.
As always, if I can assist your readers in finding any information about content management, let me know. Our “Ask TheContentWrangler” series of articles starts this January.
Scott Abel
TheContentWrangler.com
abelsp@netdirect.net
Scott (or shall we call you “Mr. Wrangler”?):
Welcome to the Source– we’re honored to have you here and commenting, especially at such length and with such thoughtfulness. (I’m a bit embarrased that your comment is longer than any post we’ve done so far. Please excuse our current embryonic state, there should be a lot more meat on these bones in a few months.)
You’re right, now that I look at it– this article never claims to be a review. And in fact, the problem here is mine– I misread a critical paragraph on my first pass through the piece. Note this:
The sleight of hand here is so subtle that it is probably accidental– he speaks of becoming part of the solution (i.e. joining Siberlogic?) but then goes on to speak of Siberlogic as a “they” (i.e. not him) and his implied group using SiberSafe CMS as a “we”. And most of the rest of the piece is written from the perspective of an ecstatic user sharing the good news, not a product evangelist for the company.
Now, in my past I’ve done a bit of work as a critic and editor, and while I suppose the newsletter of the Puget Sound STC doesn’t claim to be an impartial press organization, I think perhaps a bit more could have been done to indicate Rob’s current affiliation up front. Also, “reprinted with permission” at the opening begged the question of “reprinted from where?” so I assumed there was a magazine or web-magazine which was the original source for this, and took it as a review.
As for my own position here and now: I’m a blogger– which is a good and legitimate thing to be, but which ain’t the same thing as a journallist, in most cases, no matter what blogospheroids may say. The ethics of being a blogger are still being sorted out. But everything winds up being laced with opinion.
Thanks so much, though, for the information about your own series– we’ll be sure to bring it to our readers’ attention when the time comes.
Hope to see you here again in future,
-The Source