Page layout software, what to get? 5

[funkymonk]

Hi all,

I work as an in-house designer and am now starting to design/create my companies brochure's etc.

I want to know what software to get (i.e. Quark, PageMaker etc.) so I can put a business case together as I need to do this before they will spend any money.

What I would like from you lot is your opinions including good and bad points of whatever software you use for this area of work. I use Photoshop 6 at the moment so whatever I get has to be PS6 friendly.

Thanks in advance of your response. ;-)
funkymonk B-)
rod@sameplanet.co.uk

 

[TJARON]

Hey funkymonk,
I recommend QuarkXpress or Adobe InDesign. Very similar in my opinion. I would go with those over Pagemaker.

 

[carlow]

Hi,

I like to work in a suite of programms that go well together. So my choice would be an Adobe product, because of the seamless coördination between the different adobe products. When you are used to the Adobe PS6 interface, anaother adobe product has a similar feel. Just go for the trial and error method; go to a shop and ask if you can see how it works, then make your choice. The possibilities of the pro layout programms are very similar.


grillhouse

 

[funkymonk]

Hmmmm, 'InDesign & PageMaker'...... That seems to me like Macromedia coming out with two versions of Flash.

Are there very big differences in these two? funkymonk B-)
rod@sameplanet.co.uk

 

[mothman]

Don't waste your time with pagemaker......

Quark or InDesign is the way to go......

If you can hold out, Quark is coming out with QUARK 5.0 in December, from what I've read it would be worth waiting for....

They have added basic WEB PRODUCTION features as well as
some other sweet additions....

InDesign was created because Pagemaker is lame.....
I have ran into alot of designers who really enjoy using In Design, who feel it will be giving Quark a run for it's money in the coming years.

What you need to consider is what your printing house is using,
Quark is the Industry Standard (today) and it works fine with PShop 6.0.........

I would recommend downloading a free trial of In design.......

Just don't waste yer time with Pagemaker.

MM

 

[artdirectoreric]

Just so Pagemaker isn't getting undeservedly bashed around here, let me state that if you're STARTING OUT, don't bother with Pagemaker, because Adobe is supplanting it with InDesign. Myself and many others who have used Pagemaker for years will tell you that it's a great program (some will even tell you not to bother with InDesign, but that's just due to curmudgeonery.)

We'll continue to use Pagemaker because it works, we've developed a workflow with it with our service bureaus, etc. We are going to try out InDesign, though, because we understand it to be the next step and it's more economical than Quark. We'll probably transfer everything over to InDesign once we've got the time and experience with it.

Since you're just starting out, I'd recommend Adobe's Design Collection. It's the latest versions of InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator and Acrobat as a suite for just under $1000.

 

[funkymonk]

artdirectoreric, I'm not just starting out but am just starting to get into page design for print. I already have PS and have been using this for about a year+.

From the response so far it looks like InDesign is the front runner so I'm probably gonna put my business case together for that. I have also been told that upgrades for Quark are full price where as Adobe do upgrades for a fraction of the original cost. Also, Abode are doing a 60 day free tryout version of InDesign with all the features active. That also includes the save function which is the first time I've ever seen an Adobe product tryout with that enabled.

Thankyou all for answering my query, your response will go a long way towards convincing my IT manager on what to buy. If she had her way I'd be using MS Word.LOL funkymonk B-)
rod@sameplanet.co.uk