Magazine Layout & Design software?

Question

Any suggestions?

Answer 1

As has already been mentioned Quark and InDesign are both excellent and both can output print quality PDF's which most printers will accept.

Many diehard Quark users have migrated to Indesign over the last few years. If you're running a large operation with workflow consideration (allowing multiple users to work on the same layout at the same time), then Quark has an edge. If you're a small business or freelancer wotking direct for clients, Indesign would be my choice. If you plan to work for printers or other design companies you will most likely have to learn to use both, plus several other packages: Illustrator, Freehand and Photoshop for a start. If your looking for a package to produce in house publications of a short run, say on your own printer then Publisher will do the job at a lower price.

Photoshop is a great image editing program which many professional design agencies use to produce publications and packaging which make use of image and text effects unavailable in normal desktop publishing packages.

As a user of both I find certain features in each, which I would love to see available in the other. I also find Indesign launches faster, saves files faster and is less memory hungry.

Another small point if your publication has lots tables Quark and Indesign have implimented them in very different ways, my preference is, again, for Indesign.

A final word, whatever package you choose it will only ever be as good as the person using it.

You can get trial copies of both Quark and Indesign so I would advise downloading and give them a try first.
http://euro.quark.com/en/
http://www.adobe.com/uk/

Hope you find what you're looking for, best of luck.

Answer 2

The professional software that's actually used to layout magazines is either Quark XPress or Adobe InDesign. However these packages cost several hundred pounds each.

A cheaper alternative is Microsoft Publisher which you can buy separately or as part of Microsoft Office.

Answer 3

as said below, use quark or alternatively Adobe pakemaker, both are very good, quark the better but alos the most expensive, not sure what you mean by design software? graphics? if so then Adobe Photoshop, again expensive, what is this for?

if you need any more info drop me a mail [e-mail]

Answer 4

I've worked in publishing, advertising, PR and communications for over 20 years, and every studio, repro house or printers I've ever dealt with has used Quark Xpress. It is expensive to buy, but it's the industry standard, and the use of anything else will cause problems between the programmes.

Answer 5

you have Microsoft Word which is excellent Word Processing software. You also have Open Office which is free and platform independent.

good luck

Answer 6

better use adobe photo shop really useful and easy to use