Desktop publishing software today

Desktop publishing (DTP) is alive and thriving, but with some notable differences that reflect today’s advanced technologies. While DTP software was once in a class of its own, today we see the lines between word processing and desktop publishing blur. For example, Microsoft Word allows you to create advanced layouts and links between documents, and many DTP applications include word processing features.

Dedicated desktop publishing software can be classified into three categories: high-end, small business, and limited budget. The following list is not intended to be all-inclusive, but mentions more well-known products in each category.

high-end

When we think of high-end DTP software, Quark and Adobe emerge as the leaders.

QuarkXPress 7 is said to be the industry standard and maintains market share for high-end DTP software applications. The award-winning QuarkXPress 7 (about $749) is well-suited for large publishing tasks, such as layouts for magazines and newspapers. Its multi-user capabilities allow more than one user to edit different “zones” on the same page, and allows design and graphic elements to be edited outside of the design application. Speed ​​is one of the product’s claims to fame, as determined by a new independent report from Ron Roszkiewicz Consulting. According to the Quark website, the report concludes that QuarkXPress 7 offers the highest productivity in both design-intensive and production-intensive workflows.

Adobe’s InDesign CS3 is a tough competitor and, according to Adobe, is the new standard in page layout software. This high-end product, which costs around $699, is designed for fast-paced publishing environments where two or more people work on design and layout simultaneously. Like QuarkXPress, it is well-suited for designing large publications. The app incorporates features found in both Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator, and integrates with other Adobe products, including Photoshop, Illustrator, Dreamweaver, InCopy, and Acrobat. People unfamiliar with these products will find it a steep learning curve. InDesign CS3 is available for both Mac and Windows operating systems.

notary

I’m not sure where the Scribus DTP program fits in. According to the website, “Scribus is an open source program that brings professional, award-winning page layout to Linux/UNIX, Mac OS X, OS/2, and Windows desktops with a combination of ‘print-ready’ output and new approaches to page layout”. The site promises that beneath its user-friendly interface, the product supports professional desktop publishing features, including CMYK color, separations, ICC color management, and PDF creation. An enthusiastic user community supports new users, and the price (free) is hard to beat.

DTP for Small Business

Microsoft and Adobe are the winners in this category.

Adobe PageMaker 7, the “little brother” of InDesign, is suitable for small businesses, schools, or organizations that want to produce brochures, sales letters, newsletters, one-page flyers, complex reports, and similar documents. The application provides intuitive templates, graphics, and design tools that allow users to work productively in other Adobe applications. It can be sent to any printing device, including fast digital printers and high-end commercial printers. PageMaker is available for both Mac and PC, and retails for around $499.

However, CNET readers weren’t too thrilled, giving PageMaker a mere 5.3 out of 10 points. Complaints included a steep learning curve, the fact that it is four times more expensive than MS Publisher, its main competitor, and the poor quality of the HTML-generated pages. CNET recommended PageMaker for companies that publish a large number of documents and want to quickly convert paper documents to PDF files or assemble catalogs from databases. Adobe encourages users to switch to InDesign, so PageMaker 7 may be the last of the PageMaker releases.

Designed for small businesses, schools, or organizations, Microsoft Office Publisher 2007 lets you create the same types of business documents mentioned for PageMaker 7. In this first release since 2003, Publisher is designed to offer a quick start and short learning curve. Interchangeable templates let you start with a business card, for example, and then click a button to create a return mailing label using the business card information, already applied.

The Editor Task feature is another interesting concept: this feature offers advice on various topics, such as how to prepare a post for a mailing list or how to track the effects of marketing campaigns. The application integrates with other Office components, including Office Outlook 2007, Office Excel, and Business Contact Manager.

The average rating from Amazon customers is 4.5 out of 5 stars. The software costs approximately $150 if purchased separately or comes with MS Office

Budget conscious DTP

Quite a few offerings dominate this category, but I couldn’t pinpoint the leading products.

The printing press 22 Deluxe

It’s hard to believe, but this software has sold more than 17 million copies since it appeared in the 1980s. The current version is 22 for PC and 2 for Mac OS. The PC version is available in Print Shop Deluxe and Print Shop Pro Publisher Deluxe editions. This software includes graphics and design tools that allow you to create brochures, business cards, calendars, CD/DVD labels, certificates, family trees, greeting cards, and handmade cards and invitations.

Retailing for around $50, the Print Shop 22 Deluxe earned 3.5 out of 5 stars on Amazon. There are several plugins available, including Print Shop Pro Publisher Deluxe, aimed at small businesses; the professional edition of Print Shop Design Suite; and a couple of specific applications to create family trees.

CeledyDrawing 2

CeledyDraw is a desktop publishing and graphic design software application suitable for homes, schools and small businesses. Designed for non-professional users, create logos, illustrations, flowcharts, diagrams, flyers, brochures, business cards, greeting cards, and more. Celedy Draw (about $65) can import text only in text format, which can be inconvenient for small businesses that are used to incorporating Word documents into their publications. Consumer Guide Products says this software is best suited for creating one- or two-page documents and has a fairly steep learning curve.

canvas3

Canvastic is self-publishing for children K-8. The app offers a clear on-screen display that grows with the user. It has no toy features and teachers have expanded options to customize the app to meet students’ needs. The product retails for $80, while a $60 school license is available.