FrameMaker alive and well, Adobe says

Adobe Systems, responding to a rumor column in InfoWorld, maintained that its FrameMaker publishing software is “alive and well,” and that it is “completely committed to developing and supporting the FrameMaker product.” FrameMaker is a high-end publishing tool geared towards production of technical manuals and other long, highly structured documents.

In a February 2 column that appeared in print and online, InfoWorld’s Robert X. Cringley wrote that Adobe had laid off its FrameMaker team and that it might not support FrameMaker 6.0 “with much enthusiasm.”

In a prepared statement, Adobe said that FrameMaker engineers and product managers are working on a new major release that will include features based on customer feedback. The company is “actively searching for new recruits,” and “FrameMaker sales this year have been excellent.” Adobe representatives will promote FrameMaker at On Demand; Seybold; WinWriters Online Help Conference; Annual STC Conference; FOSE; and XML Europe 2001, Adobe said. And “you can also expect another multi-city seminar tour to happen in the May timeframe that will focus on FrameMaker and eBooks.”

“FrameMaker holds a unique position in the multichannel publishing market, and is poised to take advantage of the rapidly growing trends towards XML and Network Publishing,” Adobe asserted. “Adobe continues to be committed to these markets and to the future of the FrameMaker product line.”