Jenner's Mix & Match Guide for Technical Documentation

Input

A design-capable desktop computer/workstation  the same system used for project design

Pointers  Microsoft Mouse, Microspeed FastTrap of PCTrac trackball, CH Products RollerMouse trackball, etc.; if a graphics tablet is the usual device, try an A/B switch

Flatbed Scanners  e. g. Epson ES300C; used to access bitmaps for backgrounds and other graphics effects as well as other pertinent illustrations 

Optionally, video image capture equipment with Targa or Vista display system

Optionally (and recommended), a peer-to-peer networking system such as Artisoft Lantastic to link systems and peripherals in a design shop

Processing

Microsoft Windows 3.0 for PC-family machines [System 7 (when available) on Apple Macintosh machines]

Page composition software  PageMaker 4.0 or Ventura, available for all major desktop systems (Quark Express now on Macs, soon to be under Windows on PC-family systems)
 OR 
High-end wordprocessing  Microsoft Word (Mac or Windows) or Lotus AmiPro / SPC Professional Write Plus (Windows only); Describe (Windows, OS2/PM) is an interesting but not thoroughly tested alternative

Micrografx Designer  used a composer and sketching environment for illustration (optionally, Arts & Letters Editor or Corel Draw); SuperMac Technologies XXXXXX Pro for the Mac

CPI ColorLab or ImagePrep image processing software to process scanned images

Output

Hewlett-Packard LaserJet III (enhanced resolution; PostScript optional...]

Color proof printer -- e. g. H-P PaintJet, QMS ColorGraphics or ColorScript color thermal transfer printer, Tektronix color thermal transfer printer

High quality color imaging via Canon color laser copier/printer (accessed through corporate network or an outside service bureau)

Access to Management Graphics Solitaire (reads EPS), Agfa/Matrix Fortι (uses SuperPrint) or Lasergraphics (proprietary Windows driver)

Zenographics SuperPrint  manages all PCL-compatible and Epson-compatible printers; affords access to high-quality film recorders and Canon color laser copier/printer; preferred to PostScript or typemanager-only software (Windows only)