FrameMaker vs Tech Comm Suite

[Raquel29452678w65y]

I only use FrameMaker, but we purchase it as part of the Tech Comm Suite. What are the benefits of buying it through the TC Suite vs a stand-alone FM license? It was touted as faster to publish and/or easier to do online reviews, but we already have Acrobat Pro from Creative Cloud, so I'm not clear on what is better through the TC Suite. We publish to PDF and do online (real-time) reviews, but we don't use Robohelp or Captivate at all.

[Jeff_Coatsworth]

If you're not using any of the other products in the TCS, then it doesn't make much sense to not just go with a standalone FM license. Maybe the cost is cheaper in the Suite - I haven't looked at pricing for a few years now.

[Matt-Tech Comm Tools]

Traditionally, the cost of licensing two or more of the TCS components gives you a cost benefit.

If you can install just FrameMaker, and not install the Acrobat license that comes with it, you can test whether there's value in having the "TCS" version of Acrobat. If there's no difference in capabilities (producing PDF, generating PDF reviews) then you're likely to be happy with the savings associated with licensing the stand-alone Fm instead of the full TCS. 

**I've had colleagues that get the licensing between TCS and CC squirreled up, requiring logging in and out of each product/suite as needed. The feeling I've gotten is that when you have to keep switching Adobe IDs, the cost savings is not worth the headache.