Date: Mon, 10 Aug 1992 09:10:58 ECT Reply-To: Indexer's Discussion Group Sender: Indexer's Discussion Group From: Adolf Ceska Subject: Re: How to start In-Reply-To: ----------------------------Original message---------------------------- In the dawn of microcomputers, the Emerging Technology Consultants Inc. (2031 Broadway, Boulder CO 80302, phone 303-447-9495) offered a program called INDIX that was supposed to do indexing. I did not use it, but their basic package EDIX/WORDIX had the capability to dump tagged words and the page number of the occurrence into an extra file that could be used to create an index. I wonder, if other word processing programs (WP, WORD, etc.) offer a similar feature. Adolf Ceska, Curator of Botany Royal British Columbia Museum Victoria, B.C., Canada V8V 1X4 aceska@cue.bc.ca ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 10 Aug 1992 09:11:32 ECT Reply-To: Indexer's Discussion Group Sender: Indexer's Discussion Group From: "Kent S. Larsen" Subject: NISO standard committee press release ----------------------------Original message---------------------------- In James D. Anderson's message of Wed, 5 Aug 1992, he mentions standards setting efforts. I am interested to know what standards are now available and how I can get them. Will most libraries have these standards? Are they perhaps available through the internet? ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 10 Aug 1992 09:12:31 ECT Reply-To: Indexer's Discussion Group Sender: Indexer's Discussion Group From: "Robert A. Amsler" Subject: KWIC, KWAC, and KWOC ----------------------------Original message---------------------------- To quote from Wellish's "Indexing from A to Z" (H.W. Wilson, 1991), "The Three Stooges: KWIC, KWAC, and KWOC" "... KWAC (Key Word Alongside Context), ... used for the production of library catalogs, showing also bibliographic data alongside the title keywords, but ... really only a variation on KWOC" (pgs 199-201). ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 10 Aug 1992 09:13:05 ECT Reply-To: Indexer's Discussion Group Sender: Indexer's Discussion Group From: Candy Schwartz Subject: Indexer Consistency ----------------------------Original message---------------------------- Bob asked, so I will comply, but with a large caveat that a) this citation is 15 years old and there have been some states of the art on the topic since, and b) I was 15 years younger and the paper sounds like it. Schwartz, C. Indexing beahviour: survey and state of the art. Proceedings of the ASIS Annual Meeting, v.14 (1977): fiche (sorry!): 8D5-8D14. If anyone really wants this I have a hard copy. I would recommend rather that you find something more recent, I just don't have the time to hunt up more recent things at the moment. Candy Schwartz cschwartz@vmsvax.simmons.edu ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 10 Aug 1992 09:27:58 ECT Reply-To: Indexer's Discussion Group Sender: Indexer's Discussion Group From: "Kate McCain" Subject: Re: KWIC, KWAC, and KWOC In-Reply-To: Message of Mon, 10 Aug 1992 09:12:31 ECT from ----------------------------Original message---------------------------- Actually -- we nautical types always translated that acronym as "Key Words Abaft Context." Kate McCain "Bibliometrics R Us" ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 10 Aug 1992 16:24:33 ECT Reply-To: Indexer's Discussion Group Sender: Indexer's Discussion Group From: Candy Schwartz Subject: Standards ----------------------------Original message---------------------------- Any institution of higher education which has a graduate program in library and information science should have a complete set of information related standards (including indexing, abstracting, thesaurus construction, and so on). Some come from NISO, some for equivalent bodies in other countries, or the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO). Since they often contain diagrams and charts, their availability through the Internet is unlikely, but possible, I suppose. I am sure that drafts of new standards and reqorked standards are circulated via the Internet. Candy Schwartz cschwartz@vmsvax.simmons.edu ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 11 Aug 1992 09:01:51 ECT Reply-To: Indexer's Discussion Group Sender: Indexer's Discussion Group From: "Kate McCain" Subject: Re: Standards In-Reply-To: Message of Mon, 10 Aug 1992 16:24:33 ECT from ----------------------------Original message---------------------------- When the new, improved "draft" of the NISO standard on thesaurus construction & maintenance was announced (I forget where -- PACS-L? LIB-REF?) it had to be ordered from NISO at a cost of $30. I got a copy with no problem -- but the same issues (graphics, etc.) apply plus the fact that the publisher (Transaction, Rutgers) charges for copies -- including copying for educational purposes (no Virginia -- these only LOOK like gov dox). The main library here at Drexel has a "complete" set of ANSI/NISO standards, also ASTM, and BSI (but then we are in large part an engineering program at the undergrad level. I teach some standards (primarily serials-related) and about standards (in Sci-Tech). I look forward to the new indexing standard from NISO. Now if I could just distribute it without charge to all my budding professionals and indexer wanna-bes......... Kate McCain "Bibliometrics R Us" College of Information Studies Drexel University BITNET: MCCAINKW@DUVM Internet: mccainkw@duvm.ocs.drexel.edu ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 11 Aug 1992 09:02:19 ECT Reply-To: Indexer's Discussion Group Sender: Indexer's Discussion Group From: Carolyn Weaver Subject: Washington State Indexers' meeting ----------------------------Original message---------------------------- The Washington (state) indexers' support group will be meeting at Carolyn Weaver's home, 2213 138th Ave. S.E., Bellevue, at 7 pm on Oct. 8. The general topic for discussion will be, "Differences between Journal Indexing and Back-of-the-Book Indexing". We are not yet an ASI chapter, though that may eventually evolve. At present the objective of the meetings (there have been three thus far in 1992) is to get acquainted and discuss mutual concerns. Anyone interested in professional indexing is welcome, whether or not you belong to ASI. (Information about ASI will be available for non-members.) For questions about the group or the meeting, or to confirm attendance, call Elspeth Pope at 206-427-0760 (she's not on this list), or send me an e-mail message. Directions to my house are available on request. Carolyn Weaver cweaver@u.washington.edu 206-543-3401 (days) 206-643-1614 (evenings/weekends) ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 11 Aug 1992 12:23:13 ECT Reply-To: Indexer's Discussion Group Sender: Indexer's Discussion Group From: Pamela Bowden Dahlhauser Subject: Indexing your own book ----------------------------Original message---------------------------- I, too, like Bill Drew, will probably be indexing my own book, and am also using WP (but 5.0) to index it. My work contains a bibliography, and the indexing features of WP5.0 are just fine for that section. However, the accompanying text is another matter. Not only have I never indexed a book be- fore, but, until I got onto INDEX-L, I had no idea auto indexing programs even existed. I can't remember if someone already asked this, but is there an auto indexing program for text that will work with WP5.0? Please respond to me directly and not to the list. Thanks. --Pamela PBOWDEN@UNMB.BITNET ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 11 Aug 1992 12:23:42 ECT Reply-To: Indexer's Discussion Group Sender: Indexer's Discussion Group From: Guglielmo Trentin Subject: request of suggestions ----------------------------Original message---------------------------- Dear fellow networkers, my name is Guglielmo Trentin and I am a researcher at the Institute for the Educational Technology (ITD), an institute of the Italian National Council of Research (CNR). I am not an indexer but I am very interested in the topics of this discussion group. Presently I am a member of an European team working on the application of data base of multimedia learning material. In particular we are developing a data base containing the description of multimedia learning material such as software, audio-visual sequences, computer animations, pictures, texts, etc. The main objective of this work is to offer a tool usable by a courseware author in order to allow the reusability of multimedia learning material. A critical aspect of the project is the indexing of multimedia material: how to classify heterogeneous material? what is the best way to describe an audio-visual sequence, a computer animation, a picture, etc. in order to optimise its retrieval? ....... Does any one know where I can find explanations about this problem? Thanking you for your attention. ----------------------------------------------------------- Guglielmo Trentin tel: +39 10 308883 Istituto per le Tecnologie Didattiche 3621108 Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche 302574 via all'Opera Pia, 11 fax: +39 10 310466 16145 GENOVA - ITALY e-mail: trentin@itd.itd.ge.cnr.it ----------------------------------------------------------- ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 11 Aug 1992 16:16:03 ECT Reply-To: Indexer's Discussion Group Sender: Indexer's Discussion Group From: "Nancy C. Mulvany" Subject: The Audience & an Index ----------------------------Original message---------------------------- The Audience & the Book Index Bob asks: I'm not sure how indexers take the language of the audience into consideration when they assign index terms. Can you elaborate? I'll try not to elaborate too much! (my book will be out next spring, there is much more "elaboration" in there!). First, let me say that the book index exists only for the readers (the audience). It is our job when we write an index to anticipate the needs of the readers in relation to the material presented in the text. There can be different type of readers: those who have read the material and have become familiar with the author's language; those who have not read the material and are using the book solely for reference purposes. Readers who have not read the material and have not learned the author's language are the most difficult to anticipate. For example, say you are indexing a word processing manual and there is a discussion of how to prepare an ASCII text file. Naturally, you will be inclined to index this as: ASCII text files, preparation of Fine. But what about the WordPerfect user who is now learning this new word processor -- that reader will probably look for the same information under a different heading: DOS text files, preparation of The indexer needs to anticipate these language needs. Since the word processing manual never discusses "DOS text files," the information will be posted at "ASCII text files." However, the indexer will add cross-references for the WordPerfect user as well as users of other word processing programs who will approach this index with different vocabulary assumptions. The cross-references may look like: DOS text files. See ASCII text files non-document files. See ASCII text files unformatted files. See ASCII text files These three cross-references anticipate the needs of users of WordPerfect, WordStar, and MS Word. Although this is a simple example, I think it illustrates how book indexers attempt to anticipate how the readers of the index may look up terms. Bob asks: In terms of analyzing cross-references, how does an indexer decide whether something should be a cross-reference vs. double-posted? Often the decision is based upon space savings. In the example I used earlier, something like; dogs, 15, 34 hounds, 15, 34 No space would be saved if we used a cross-reference from "hounds," as in: "hounds. See dogs" Also, it is irritating to readers when they look up a reasonable term and then are sent elsewhere in the index only to pickup one or two page references that could have been easily given to them at the original term. If the "dogs" entry was more complex, say it had five subentries under it, the SEE cross-ref from hounds to dogs would save space. If the two terms are double-posted, then both entries must contain the same components. So, if one person goes to "hounds" and another goes to "dogs" they should get the same information at both sites. Maintaining such consistency among double-posted entries can be difficult. (Just take a look a many of the legal indexes where material is double- and triple-posted all over the place. Often information is not consistently posted at all sites). So, some recommend that double-posting not be developed until the final editing stages when there is a better chance of getting all the information completely reflected all appropriate spots. One of the primary functions of a SEE reference in a book index is vocabulary control. The indexer must be careful not to introduce terms that readers will not find in the text. E.g., in a discussion about Mark Twain, it would not be appropriate to double-post "Mark Twain" information at an entry called "Samuel Clemens" if Clemens is never mentioned in the text. Instead, Clemens should be cross- referenced to "Twain." This is probably more than you want to hear about this! So, I'll leave it at this for the moment. Lastly, Bob wonders: I know that book indices aren't intended to be exhaustive, but isn't it possible that a system could recommend index terms that you hadn't thought of? I believe that anything imaginable is possible at any time, especially when you least expect it! So, yes, I'm sure it's possible. -nancy nmulvany@well.sf.ca.us ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 12 Aug 1992 09:16:06 ECT Reply-To: Indexer's Discussion Group Sender: Indexer's Discussion Group Comments: Resent-From: Charlotte Skuster Comments: Originally-From: FLANNAGA at OUACCVMB From: Charlotte Skuster ----------------------------Original message---------------------------- I would recommend WordPerfect 5.1 rather than 5.0 for indexing, mainly for its stability at tagging items and then linking files by means of a master document, so that pagination and therefore page references to tagged items will be on target. WP51 would give you sub-categories, as I remember, but not sub-sub-categories, and it automatically capitalizes the first word in an indexed item. After the index is generated and the text is fixed and paginated, the index can be edited and then put into a different type face or arranged in two or three columns. Roy Flannagan ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 12 Aug 1992 09:16:38 ECT Reply-To: Indexer's Discussion Group Sender: Indexer's Discussion Group From: Candy Schwartz Subject: Distributing Standards ----------------------------Original message---------------------------- Hear hear Kate (i.e., that we could distribute standards free of charge to our students et al.). Are standards government publications, and if so does that make them un copyrighted? I don't know, and had never thought about it. It is a pain and a half to get hold of international standards -- the Library Acquisitions people shudder. Candy Schwartz cschwartz@vmsvax.simmons.edu ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 12 Aug 1992 09:16:57 ECT Reply-To: Indexer's Discussion Group Sender: Indexer's Discussion Group From: Candy Schwartz Subject: Indexing Multimedia ----------------------------Original message---------------------------- Guglielmo Trentin asks about indexing mutlimedia. I happen to have a huge bibliography on the topic as a result of an avid personal interest. I need to pull it together for another reason, and will send hima copy when I do, but in the meantime, the publication Visual Resources often has good stuff, and does occasional annotated bibliographies of the year's work. It does concentrate mainly on images, however. There are several chapters in the Annual Review of Information Science and Technology overthe past few years which might be useful. The topic is usually the subject of two or three sessions at ASIS conferences, so Annual Proceedings might have some articles. This is a very widely dispersed literature, unfortunately (although that's partly what makes it so interesting). There is a discussion group -- VRA-L, maintained by the listserv@uafsysb. Candy Schwartz cschwartz@vmsvax.simmons.edu ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 12 Aug 1992 13:26:45 ECT Reply-To: Indexer's Discussion Group Sender: Indexer's Discussion Group From: Erik Naggum Subject: Re: Distributing Standards In-Reply-To: <0095EF9A.462ACD60.6283@VMSVAX.SIMMONS.EDU> (12 Aug 1992 09:16:38 -0400 (19920812131638)) ----------------------------Original message---------------------------- Candy Schwartz asks if International Standards are government publications and un-copyrighted by virtue of being so. Both fortunately and unfortunately, this is not so. International Standards, published by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), Geneva, are copyright by ISO for two reasons: (1) ISO covers its operating costs from the sales of and royalties from the standards, and (2) the copyright protects the integrity of a standard. The latter point may seem trivial, but since companies invest huge amounts into complying with International Standards, it's a legitimate concern that some of them might provide "doctored" copies to their customers to further their own causes. On the other hand, this means that students of all branches of science and technology, and especially information technology (within which I include documentation) cannot get access to International Standards except by virtue of abundant library budgets, which many would rather see spent on journals where their articles are published. So they don't. Most importantly, academia seems to take little or no interest in International Standards in the first place, thinking they are overly commercial, a wholly justified stand because ISO thinks so, too. I'm a student at the University of Oslo, Deparment of Informatics, and work with International Standards in the areas of character sets and document description and processing languages, as well as programming languages and operating systems. In addition to this, I'm running my own company trying to make a living from this very specialized knowledge, and pay for the acquisition cost of International Standards. I'm on this list because part of the work I'm doing concerns computer- aided index, search and retrieval tools, and I know next to nothing about indexing. (Thanks for several good references.) Best regards, -- Erik Naggum | ISO 8879 SGML | +47 295 0313 | ISO 10744 HyTime | | ISO 10646 UCS | Memento, terrigena. | ISO 9899 C | Memento, vita brevis. ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 12 Aug 1992 13:27:20 ECT Reply-To: Indexer's Discussion Group Sender: Indexer's Discussion Group From: "R.S. Etheredge" Subject: Re: The Audience & an Index ----------------------------Original message---------------------------- Howdee, This list needs to be apprised of this: I find this list to be among the absolute top of the lists I read as far as information content and training support in its subject field is concerned. It is remarkable how well the questions are developed, both in the interrogatory and in the declarative. Kudos to all!!!! Have a happy day... Rusty Etheredge ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 12 Aug 1992 13:27:44 ECT Reply-To: Indexer's Discussion Group Sender: Indexer's Discussion Group From: "Bill Drew-Serials/Reference Librar. SUNY Morrisville" Subject: Indexing my first book ----------------------------Original message---------------------------- A week ago I put out a query about indexing my own book (my first). I have only seen and received one or two pertinent messages. One of the goals of this list is to help authors and first time indexers. Can someone tell me the efficacy of using a controlled vocabulary such as Agricola's? What types of terms should be included that are not part of the controlled vocabulary (thesaurus)? I will be using WordPerfect 5.1 to write and index this book. Has anyone out there used it? Any suggestions? I already saw the previous message about using WP5.1. Any traps or pitfalls I should avoid in indexing my own book? Wilfred Drew (Call me "Bill") Serials/Reference/Computers Librarian State University of New York College of Agriculture and Technology P.O. Box 902; Morrisville, NY 13408-0902 BITNET: DREWWE@SNYMORVA Internet: DREWWE@SNYMORVA.CS.SNYMOR.EDU Phone: (315)684-6055 or 684-6060 Fax: (315)684-6115 Any opinions expressed here are mine and are subject to change without notice. ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 13 Aug 1992 08:55:26 ECT Reply-To: Indexer's Discussion Group Sender: Indexer's Discussion Group From: Carol Roberts Subject: WordPerfect 5.1 ----------------------------Original message---------------------------- WordPerfect 5.1 Roy, thanks for the tip ("I would recommend WordPerfect 5.1 raher than 5.0) for indexing". Do you happen to know whether the tags can be imported into PageMaker? :) Carol Roberts PUBS, Cornell University ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 13 Aug 1992 09:02:43 ECT Reply-To: Indexer's Discussion Group Sender: Indexer's Discussion Group From: "MUSSER, LINDA" Subject: Re: Distributing Standards ----------------------------Original message---------------------------- Standards are indeed copyrighted unless they are U.S. military or federal standards. Many standards-writing societies rely heavily on the revenues from the sales of standards to support the creation of standards. Some societies offer volume discounts or other price breaks for educators. As far as international standards are concerned, if you are having trouble obtaining the ones you need from ANSI (the American National Standards Institue), there are a variety of commercial firms who would be more than happy to help you obtain them. Linda Musser (LRM@PSULIAS) Penn State ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 13 Aug 1992 11:08:54 ECT Reply-To: Indexer's Discussion Group Sender: Indexer's Discussion Group From: PAULA PRESLEY Subject: Re: Publishing Software In-Reply-To: In reply to your message of THU 13 AUG 1992 08:00:57 EDT ----------------------------Original message---------------------------- Does anybody have any advice on publishing software? I need information about software that will handle book publishing; that will work with our printer's imagesetter (Sprint Optrotech 110; uses PostScript for Linotronic) We publish The Sixteenth Century Journal; the Sixteenth Century Essays & Studies Monograph Series; and books for The Thomas Jefferson University Press at Northeast Missouri State University. We need software that will interface with our printer's Sprint Optrotech 110 imagesetter (it uses PostScript for Linotronic), so we can go from disk to negative. Does anybody have experience with any publishing software? If so, how does it handle pagination and footnotes? What is a reasonable learning curve? (I have some work-study students who need to be able to pick up the basics rather easily). How does it handle translations from various word processors? What about scanned text? Any other advice or suggestions will be appreciated. Paula Presley Asst. Editor Thomas Jefferson University Press at Northeast Missouri State University LB 115 - NMSU Kirksville, MO 63501 Phone 816-785-4525 Fax 816-785-4181 BitNet AD15@NEMOMUS ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 13 Aug 1992 11:09:31 ECT Reply-To: Indexer's Discussion Group Sender: Indexer's Discussion Group From: "Stephen E. Bach" Subject: Indexing a book you have written ----------------------------Original message---------------------------- Bill: I highly recommend the book, "Indexing from A to Z" by Hans H. Wellisch, H.W. Wilson, Bronx, NY 1991. You can order the book directly from them: 1-(800) 367-6770 $35.00 postpaid to U.S. The author, who I see at chapter meetings of the American Society of Indexers, is one of the most eminent authorities on indexing, and his book is top notch. Nitty gritty stuff. I hasten to warn you, however, with just a short excerpt from the book: ..."[Publishers] often encourage the author to index the work him- or herself, assuming that 'the author, having written the work, is also the best-prepared person to index it properly'. Such a phrase or words to the same effect actually appear in authors' guides put out by some major publishers. In an ideal world populated by ideal authors (and, not to forget, ideal publishers) this would be true, and no indexers, ideal or otherwise, would be needed. Yet, in the real world, this assumption flies in the face of most publishers' (and indexers') actual experience with author-produced indexes and is akin to Samuel Johnson's dictum on second marriages being 'the triumph of hope over experience'." From pp. 16-17. Just to make my position clear, I am a professional, free-lance indexer, so I have a stake in authors' not indexing their own work. But I must add that after four years of indexing I still regard myself as only intermediate. There is much more to it than I ever thought when I started out. No matter what you do, good luck. But really get a hold of Wellisch's book, because it's really excellent. Stephen Bach ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 13 Aug 1992 15:36:04 ECT Reply-To: Indexer's Discussion Group Sender: Indexer's Discussion Group From: John Gorentz Subject: Re: Indexing a book you have written ----------------------------Original message---------------------------- | otherwise, would be needed. Yet, in the real world, this assumption flies | in the face of most publishers' (and indexers') actual experience with | author-produced indexes and is akin to Samuel Johnson's dictum on second | marriages being 'the triumph of hope over experience'." Wasn't it also Samuel Johnson who said something like: Anyone who publishes a book without an index should be consigned to the nether reaches of hell where the devil can't get at him for stinging nettles. I suppose if I had my Bartlett's Familiar Quotations handy, I could use its index and look it up! I would imagine some of the professional indexers on this list have it posted above their doorways. I once used this quote in an attempt to convince Digital Equipment Corporation to index its catalogs better. I'm not sure it had the desired effect, though. John Gorentz bitnet: gorentz@msukbs W.K. Kellogg Biological Station internet: gorentz%kbs.decnet@clvax1.cl.msu.edu Michigan State University USA or jgorentz@lternet.washington.edu ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 13 Aug 1992 15:36:25 ECT Reply-To: Indexer's Discussion Group Sender: Indexer's Discussion Group From: Carol Roberts Subject: Ordering Wellisch Book ----------------------------Original message---------------------------- Ordering Wellisch Book Thanks, Stephen Bach, for info on ordering the Wellisch book. I was all prepared to waste my time hunting for it. (For a college town, Ithaca has surprisingly skimpy bookstore reference shelves.) :0) Carol Roberts PUBS, Cornell University ========================================================================= Date: Thu, 13 Aug 1992 15:36:52 ECT Reply-To: Indexer's Discussion Group Sender: Indexer's Discussion Group Comments: Resent-From: Charlotte Skuster Comments: Originally-From: FLANNAGA at OUACCVMB From: Charlotte Skuster ----------------------------Original message---------------------------- Perhaps the answer to Carol's question is to use the Windows versions of WordPerfect and PageMaker (it does have a Windows version, doesn't it?). Then the codes should be translatable. Call 800-228-1029 (Windows support) at WP and ask at the horse's mouth. I might be representing the other end! Roy Flannagan ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 14 Aug 1992 09:05:42 ECT Reply-To: Indexer's Discussion Group Sender: Indexer's Discussion Group From: Carol Roberts Subject: WordPerfect to PageMaker ----------------------------Original message---------------------------- WordPerfect to PageMaker Oops, I seriously misspoke. I have _Microsoft Word_ and want to export text 'n tags to PageMaker (it's not my fault; I have WordPerfect at home). But it's OK, because I bet someone out there wanted to know the answer to the question I inadvertently asked. :0) Thanks, Roy. Carol Roberts PUBS, Cornell University ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 14 Aug 1992 09:06:06 ECT Reply-To: Indexer's Discussion Group Sender: Indexer's Discussion Group From: "R.S. Etheredge" Subject: Re: Ordering Wellisch Book ----------------------------Original message---------------------------- Howdee Carol, You said, "(For a college town, Ithaca has surprisingly skimpy bookstore reference shelves.)" You oughta come to College Station, Texas. We don't have a Border's, either... Have a happy day... Rusty Etheredge ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 14 Aug 1992 09:06:32 ECT Reply-To: Indexer's Discussion Group Sender: Indexer's Discussion Group From: John Lavagnino Subject: Indexing as moral obligation ----------------------------Original message---------------------------- At the end of the index to The METAFONTbook (1986), Donald Knuth prints this quotation: A heavy weight is now to be removed from my conscience. So essential did I consider an Index to be to every book, that I proposed to bring a Bill into Parliament to deprive an author who publishes a book without an Index of the privilege of copyright; and, moreover, to subject him, for his offence, to a pecuniary penalty. Yet, from difficulties started by my printers, my own books have hitherto been without an Index. Knuth attributes this to Lord Campbell, Lives of the Chief Justices of England, vol. 3 (1857), end of the preface. John Lavagnino Department of English and American Literature, Brandeis University ========================================================================= Date: Fri, 14 Aug 1992 14:28:40 ECT Reply-To: Indexer's Discussion Group Sender: Indexer's Discussion Group From: Richard Howland-Bolton Subject: Re: FWD>Re- Publishing Softw Reply to: RE>FWD>Re: Publishing Software Without knowing which platform you are using (Mac, IBM, Unix, whatever) I can't give a detailed answer, but Frame Technology's FrameMaker (which runs on the above :-) ) can do what you need (and much more). Importing text (even with formatting) from most of the major word processors is not a problem, even across platforms. You might also look at Ventura Publisher -- especially if your format doesn't need to change much. Frame's phone no is (408) 433-3311 I think. Feel free to call for advice. Richard "I'll have my computer get in touch with your computer" ---------------------------------------- Richard Howland-Bolton Manager Publications Computing Publications Guru Cornell University Internet: Richard_Howland-Bolton@CORNELL.EDU or: Richard_Howland-Bolton@QMRELAY.MAIL.CORNELL.EDU or even: R3B@VAX5.CIT.CORNELL.EDU Compuserve: 71041,2133 AppleLink: CUGURU Voice: (607) 255-9455 FAX: (607) 255-5684 Post: Publications, East Hill Plaza Ithaca, NY 14850 Etc, etc. =========================================================================