[Hidden-tech] Need Document Control System

Chris Hart, MyMacTech.com chris at chrishart.net
Sun Jun 28 13:31:50 EDT 2015


OneDrive is definitely an option worth considering.  I haven't had nearly as
much experience with it as with Dropbox, but I've had all good experiences.
But.... I would look at what level of access it offers to older versions of
documents.  Because that's a strength of Dropbox when you have a paid
account.

Chris Hart

    • Computer Support & Technology Consulting

        for Connecticut and Western Massachusetts

            Tel: 860-291-9393

                chris at chrishart.net

                    http://www.MyMacTech.com


From:  <hidden-discuss-bounces at lists.hidden-tech.net> on behalf of Karl
Hakkarainen <kh at queenlake.com>
Date:  Saturday, June 27, 2015 at 8:13 AM
To:  Cheryl Handsaker <ht at charlemontwebworks.com>
Cc:  Hidden Tech List <hidden-discuss at mm01.tnrnet.com>
Subject:  Re: [Hidden-tech] Need Document Control System

OneDrive, part of the Office 365 package, can do similar things as Dropbox
and is free for subscribers. FWIW, I have used Dropbox for quite a while and
rely on its version management features a lot.
Neither, of course, is a true document control system with diff/merge,
branching, and the like. To do that requires an industrial-strength system
akin to Documentum, the aforementioned SharePoint, or some DITA-based
system.
<grumble>It surprises me that, 30 years later, we still don't have a good,
inexpensive document control system for tech doc folks who are using Word.
All of the schemes that I've seen rely more on organizational discipline
than on smart tools.
So, if your team is disciplined, the tools don't matter. If your team isn't
disciplined, the tools don't matter.
</grumble>
kh

---
Karl A. Hakkarainen
508 829 5825
Queen Lake Consulting
www.queenlake.com <http://www.queenlake.com>
Twitter:RoasterBoy <https://twitter.com/#%21/RoasterBoy>


On Fri, Jun 26, 2015 at 4:27 PM, Cheryl Handsaker
<ht at charlemontwebworks.com> wrote:
> 
> 
> 
> 
>     
>  If the documents are at all sensitive, then go for the Business Plan. It is
> much to easy for individuals to share folders accidentally. I think this is a
> big plus for the Business version.
>  
>  
> On 6/26/15 1:57 PM, Lesley Schneider wrote:
>  
>  
>>  
>>  
>>   
>>   
>> I noticed they have an expensive business version and the free individual
>> version, which I have used with clients for years. Now that I am a full time
>> employee, I don't know if we should get the business version or if I can just
>> have everyone download the free individual version.
>>  
>> Thanks for your help,
>>  
>> Lesley
>>  
>>  Sent from my iPhone
>>  
>> 
>>  On Jun 26, 2015, at 12:45 PM, Spike McLarty <spike.mclarty at gmail.com> wrote:
>>  
>>  
>>  
>>>  
>>>  
>>> I second Chris's suggestion of Dropbox.
>>>  
>>> It isn't even really a 'place' for people to go, it shows up as a folder on
>>> your computer - just a regular Windows folder.
>>>  
>>>  
>>> Pioneer Valley Habitat uses it extensively so I've been able to watch over
>>> my wife's shoulder as she uses it daily.
>>>  
>>> 
>>>  
>>>  
>>>  
>>> Anything involving a server, or Sharepoint, will involve significantly more
>>> (and more technical) administrative overhead than Dropbox, unless you've
>>> already got somebody who knows what they're doing and is willing to add this
>>> to their plate.
>>>  
>>> 
>>>  
>>>  
>>> The trick with Dropbox is setting up the information organization (folder
>>> structure, naming conventions, procedures) so it's easy for people to
>>> understand and conform to.
>>>  
>>> Have one sensible person do that early on, otherwise you'll get the same
>>> mess you'd get with paper documents + no system.
>>>  
>>> 
>>>  
>>>  
>>> With the right options turned on in the account, you get off-site backup
>>> (with zero effort), you can see when files were changed and who changed
>>> them, and retrieve any previous version.
>>>  
>>> 
>>>  
>>>  
>>> Another plus for Dropbox: easy to find people who've used it, not hard to
>>> find people who use it a LOT.
>>>  
>>>  
>>>  
>>> 
>>>  
>>> On Thu, Jun 25, 2015 at 8:46 PM, Lesley Schneider <lesley at hthconsulting.com>
>>> wrote:
>>>  
>>>> 
>>>>  
>>>>  
>>>>  
>>>>  
>>>> I better get clearer. This is for a Technical Publications department.
>>>> Technical manuals written in Word. They were trying to use Sharepoint, but
>>>> they never managed to make enough room for it on the server. This is a
>>>> Windows place. They are very set in their ways. Not thrilled with change. I
>>>> was hoping for something that could be a plug-in to Outlook or Explorer.
>>>> Does that help? Just want a system for version control, a central place
>>>> where people can always know they are getting the approved version of a doc
>>>> in PDF format. And where we can store the original Word files where no one
>>>> else can mess with them.
>>>> 
>>>>  
>>>>  
>>>> Thank you again,
>>>>  
>>>> Lesley
>>>>  
>>>> 
>>>>  
>>>>  
>>>> On Jun 25, 2015, at 6:02 PM, Robert Heller wrote:
>>>>  
>>>>  
>>>>>  
>>>>> At Thu, 25 Jun 2015 14:53:11 -0400 Lesley Schneider
>>>>> <lesley at hthconsulting.com> wrote:
>>>>>  
>>>>>  
>>>>>> 
>>>>>>  
>>>>>  
>>>>>> 
>>>>>>  
>>>>>  
>>>>>> 
>>>>>>  
>>>>>  
>>>>>> 
>>>>>>  
>>>>>  
>>>>>> Hi all. I am at a company from the dark ages. They have around 50 people.
>>>>>>  
>>>>>  
>>>>>> They have no doc control system in place. I need something easy to
>>>>>> install
>>>>>>  
>>>>>  
>>>>>> and use, and cheap. Just for Technical Publications right now. Any
>>>>>>  
>>>>>  
>>>>>> suggestions?
>>>>>>  
>>>>>  
>>>>>  What format are these documents in?
>>>>>  
>>>>>  What operating system(s) are you using?
>>>>>  
>>>>>  If the documents are some form a text (eg LaTeX)  and the operating
>>>>> system is 
>>>>>  some flavor of UNIX/Linux (or if the file server is a UNIX or Linux
>>>>> system), 
>>>>>  then any typical Source Code Version control system will work.  Something
>>>>> like 
>>>>>  Subversion over Apache/DAV (mod_svn_dav).  Note: using Subversion over
>>>>>  Apache/DAV is dirt cheap -- it is open source, so there is no cost for
>>>>> the 
>>>>>  software, esp. if you already have the UNIX/Linux server in place.
>>>>>  
>>>>>  It *is* possible to use a Source Code Version control system with
>>>>> *binary* 
>>>>>  files, you just don't get things like diffs and each 'version' is a
>>>>> complete 
>>>>>  copy of the binary file (rather than a set of changed lines).
>>>>>  
>>>>>  
>>>>>  
>>>>>> Thank you,
>>>>>>  
>>>>>  
>>>>>> Lesley
>>>>>>  
>>>>>  
>>>>>> 
>>>>>>  
>>>>>  
>>>>>> Sent from my iPhone
>>>>>>  
>>>>>  
>>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>>>  
>>>>>  
>>>>>> Hidden-discuss mailing list - home page: http://www.hidden-tech.net
>>>>>>  
>>>>>  
>>>>>> Hidden-discuss at lists.hidden-tech.net
>>>>>>  
>>>>>  
>>>>>> 
>>>>>>  
>>>>>  
>>>>>> You are receiving this because you are on the Hidden-Tech Discussion
>>>>>> list.
>>>>>>  
>>>>>  
>>>>>> If you would like to change your list preferences, Go to the Members
>>>>>>  
>>>>>  
>>>>>> page on the Hidden Tech Web site.
>>>>>>  
>>>>>  
>>>>>> http://www.hidden-tech.net/members
>>>>>>  
>>>>>  
>>>>>> 
>>>>>>  
>>>>>  
>>>>>> 
>>>>>>  
>>>>>  
>>>>>  -- 
>>>>>  Robert Heller             -- 978-544-6933 <tel:978-544-6933>
>>>>>  Deepwoods Software        -- Custom Software Services
>>>>>  http://www.deepsoft.com/  -- Linux Administration Services
>>>>>  heller at deepsoft.com       -- Webhosting Services
>>>>>  
>>>>>  
>>>>>  
>>>>>  
>>>>  
>>>>  
>>>>  
>>>>   
>>>>  
>>>>  
>>>> Lesley Schneider
>>>>  
>>>> lesley at hthconsulting.com
>>>>  
>>>> http://www.hthconsulting.com
>>>>  
>>>>  
>>>>  408-858-3942 <tel:408-858-3942>  Mobile
>>>>  
>>>>  
>>>>  
>>>>  
>>>>  _______________________________________________
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>>>  
>>>  
>>>  
>>>  
>>>  
>>  
>>   
>>  
>> _______________________________________________
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>  
>  
> 
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