– And the issue with hideously overpriced CCMS solutions for technical writing.
Technical writers and communicators and the companies they work for are being taken advantage of. This is possible because of technical documentation still being a niche market in combination of unknowing customers who don’t know what things should actually cost. There is simply too little competition in the field, so the few CCMS vendors available are currently allowed to jack up the prices. A CCMS (glorified web storage with a built in editor) for $30.000+ a year is hideously overpriced.
The review which is currently being blocked by G2. A 0.5 out of 5 possible star review of Heretto CCMS (screenshots below).
Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.
What do you like best about Heretto?
It supports DITA-OT (for the time being)
“Dumbed down XML editor at a huge price point”
What do you dislike about Heretto?
Where to start…
//Dumbed down user experience
– For someone used to being able to access everything in a software, the user experience in Heretto is frustrating to say the least. Everything is hidden so that beginners are not scared away at first sight. Menus and details that you are used to in any open software is hidden in menus and pop-ups.
– Attributes view is collapsed to the right by default. You always need to open it.
– No dark mode without additional plugin (issue when company IT is not allowing you to install anything).
//Not detailed error logging readily available
– Regular errors when trying to preview a PDF with no readily available console with the error messages and clues. Apart from enabling the debug option (which generates a separate file for your published content) you are totally in the dark with what went wrong. Error message without detailed explanation to what went wrong.
The “Logs” tab in the PDF preview is not storing any of the error messages by default. The error message simply flashes for a microsecond, to no use.
//Tabs, tabs and more tabs…
– Unintuitive interface where you need to open a lot of tabs to navigate. No easy navigation back once a DITAMAP is opened in the editor. You cannot for example press the map structure clearly visible in the header area. No, you need to close the editor window to get back. Sigh…
//Frustrating editor
– Editor with its arrow cursors is frustrating to navigate. Half of the time you cannot place your cursor where intended. Instead the cursor jumps to the next of previous line.
– Adding an element with CTRL+Enter default to “intelligent” insert. Which is not intelligent at all. This should default to “insert below” like good practice in any other software.
– No compact mode to remove the unnecessary white space taking up the available screen area. There is A LOT of white space in the editor.
//Leave the computer = navigate back to where you were
– Doesn’t remember where you left of. As soon as you attend a meeting and want to get back to work you need to start over by navigating to the topic/map you previously were working on.
//Bookmap top level is only accesible through the source editor.
No further comment…
//Closed down their user forum
They just decided to sunset their user forum.
//Basic online documentation
– Everything is on a remarkably high level. You will most likely not find the answers in the documentation and you also cannot use Google since there is not much information about Heretto to be found. Probably due to a low user count and few of these interested in actually discussing the tool outside of office hours.
//Uses G2 in their marketing
– Almost every single review from the last year is an incentivized review (people who received a gift card if they decide to review). And yet they use it to brag about how good they are. This alone should ring the alarm bells.
//HUGE price
– They will not specify what actually justifies the huge price for the editor. They avoid the question. In the end it is only glorified file storage with a built in XML editor.
//CSS for styling will not get you far
– You will need to use XSLT soon when styling your content. CSS will not get you as far as it should (compared to other similar solutions).
//Extremely dependent on the CSM (customer success manager)
– Lacking online documentation, no help from Google and no user forum. This in combination with a very locked user interface makes you very dependent on your CSM. A CSM who will or will not answer your questions. A big lottery when or if you will receive an answer. And usually, the answers will not be enough to get you unstuck in the first email. Time consuming and frustrating…
//No built in HTML templates
– You can only export vanilla HTML from Heretto without opening your wallet once more. Only option is to pay for the (again) ridiculously priced Deploy Portal or develop/buy a separate plugin to use with the DITA-OT publish scenario.
I do not have time to write more. But trust me, it does not stop here…Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.
What problems is Heretto solving and how is that benefiting you?
Technical documentation needs.
Screenshot of the blocked review:
