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 blurring. For example, Microsoft Word lets you create advanced layouts and links between documents, and many DTP applications include word processing capabilities.
Dedicated desktop publishing software can be classified into three categories: high-end, small business, and budget-conscious. The following list is not intended to be inclusive, but mentions more popular 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 holds 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 it allows layout and graphic elements to be edited outside of the layout application. Speed is one of this product’s claims to fame, according to 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. Costing around $699, this high-end product is designed for fast-paced publishing environments where two or more people are working on design and layout simultaneously. Like QuarkXPress, it is well suited to designing large publications. The application 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 a steep learning curve. InDesign CS3 is available for 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 award-winning, professional 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 underneath 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, rating PageMaker just 5.3 points out of a possible 10. 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 generated HTML 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 perhaps PageMaker 7 will 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 for a quick start and a 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 Publisher 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 Amazon customer rating is 4.5 out of 5 stars. The software costs approximately $150 if purchased separately or bundled with MS Office
Budget Conscious DTP
Quite a few deals dominate this category, but I couldn’t pinpoint the top products.
Printing 22 Deluxe
It’s hard to believe, but this software has sold more than 17 million copies since it appeared in the 1980’s. 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 design and graphics tools that allow you to create brochures, business cards, calendars, CD/DVD labels, certificates, family trees, greeting cards, and handmade cards and invitations.
Costing around $50, Print Shop 22 Deluxe scored 3.5 out of 5 stars on Amazon. Several plugins are available, including Print Shop Pro Publisher Deluxe, aimed at small businesses; the professional edition of the Print Shop Design Suite; and a couple of specific applications to create family trees.
Celedy Drawing 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 desktop publishing for kids K-8. The app offers a clear on-screen display that grows with the user. It has no toy features and teachers have expanded the options to customize the app to meet the needs of students. The product retails for $80, while a $60 school license is available.