Adobe FrameMaker for Mac OS X

FrameMaker Alternatives

After an extensive search for alternatives, it's plainly obvious that there is no alternative to FrameMaker—on any platform. If you want an app that will do both authoring and publishing, like FrameMaker, there simply isn't one. There are several highly-capable word processing apps and page-layout apps out there but nothing that'll handle both with aplomb like FrameMaker.

The only company that's stepped up to the plate and promised to fill the void left by Mac FrameMaker is RedleX, authors of the Mellel word processor. Compared to FrameMaker it's a relatively new app, but I suggest you download the demo, give it a try, and send your feature requests to the authors. I shall be following its progress closely.

Below are the Mac OS X apps I looked at while searching for an alternative. Depending on the functionality you require, one of them may cover your needs, but don't get your hopes up. For a comparison of FrameMaker, Word, InDesign, and Pages, see the detailed Comparison.

Word Processors

• AbiWord—open source, compatible with OpenOffice.org, Word, etc.
• KWord—Free FrameMaker-like word-processing and desktop publishing application. Part of KOffice. Blog: Keith Soltys.
• Mariner Write—"powerful yet streamlined Mac word processing application"
• Mellel—The word processor for Mac OS X.
• Nisus Writer Express—hassle free word processing
• Pages—Apple's word processor with style, a replacement for AppleWorks.
• Word 2004—Highly capable, but doesn't support master pages, bleeds, separations, a fixed page size, and EPS handling is poor. Article: FrameMaker and Word: A User's Perspective by Keith Soltys.

All-in-one Office-type Packages

• NeoOffice/J—Based on OpenOffice.org, runs natively on Mac OS X, Microsoft Office compatible, free.
• OpenOffice.org—free productivity suite compatible with all major office suites (runs in Apple's X11). Article: Replacing FrameMaker with OOo Writer by Bruce Byfield.
• OpenOSX Office—package includes AbiWord, Gnumeric, SodiPodi, and Diagram.
• Papyrus—word-processing, spreadsheet, and database
• ThinkFree Office—"A cross-platform suite of apps that let you create your own documents as well as edit Microsoft Office files."

Page Layout

• Create by Stone Design—next generation design and layout program
• Desktop Publisher Pro—low cost, high quality, full featured desktop publishing tool for the professional and novice alike.
• InDesign—see Notes on InDesign 2 as compared to FrameMaker 7 by David Cortesi (a little out of date).
• MLayout by Softmagic
• QuarkXPress—top page-layout app
• Ragtime—professional business publishing software
• Ready,Set,Go!—easy to use publishing program
• Scribus—open source DTP app (runs in Apple's X11)

Technical Publishing

• Publicon by Wolfram Research (be sure to read the FrameMaker/Publicon comparison). Review: A scientist's QuarkXPress: Publicon 1.0 for Mac OS X. Review: Wolfram Research Publicon by Jeff Terry.

Others

• Arbortext—XML publishing system
• FOP—XSL-driven print formatter
• DTP Tools—MIF Filter extension allows QuarkXPress to import and export FrameMaker MIF files. Also in the pipeline, a MIF Filter plug-in for InDesign.
• Lyx—open source front-end for LaTex typesetting engine
• MathType—equation editor
• oXygen—XML editor
• RenderX—" Renderx products facilitate production of a wide variety of static documents such as educational materials, technical manuals, user guides, legislations, and books. These documents range from simple to extremely complex and can be thousands of pages long."
• ScientificAssistant—Document Management and Scientific Word Processing System for Mac OS X (WYSIWYG frontend plus LaTeX).
• Spell Catcher—not a FrameMaker replacement, but a very useful interactive spelling checker. Available for Mac OS 9 and Mac OS X, in addition to spell checking, custom dictionaries, auto-typing, and a host of other useful functions for writers. Spell Catcher's Prevent double spaces function is perfect for FrameMaker users who simply can't live without the Smart Spaces function.
• Tex on Mac OS X
• TexShop—"TeXShop is a TeX previewer for Mac OS X"
• Virginia Systems—InDesign plug-ins for cross-referencing, figure and table numbering, running headers and footers, and a kind of variable function. Not cheap. Free demos available.
• Virtual PC—PC emulation app

Price List

All prices are for the full version. Correct as of 14 March 2005.

*Adobe Creative Suite Premium includes: InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator, Acrobat Pro, and GoLive. Purchased individually, these apps cost $2,700.

**QuarkXPress passport is required for French, German, and other common international languages. Passport files cannot be opened by the standard version. Adobe InDesign supports common international languages and is $1,000 cheaper. However, in addition to dictionaries, hyphenation, etc., Passport also includes the user interface in each language.