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Introduction
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Commercial Desktop publishing programs are expensive. For those with less sophisticated needs Microsoft Publisher retails for $169. But if you need more features and versatility you soon move up to the $700 or higher range for programs like QuarkXPress or Adobe InDesign. But don't despair, there are two excellent desktop publishing programs that are totally free. One is ideal for small business and an excellent alternative to Microsoft Publisher; the other is a serious competitor to the high-end, feature rich commercial programs. |
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Discussion
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The first is PagePlus SE from Serif Software, makers of the well known free digital editor PhotoPlus. It's an earlier version 8 of Serif's current PagePlus product that is now at version X4. The SE version is lacking a lot of features available in the current product but has more than enough to produce the relatively simple brochures, flyers, ads, and newsletters used by small businesses and charitable organizations. In fact its lack of complex features makes it a much more user friendly and easier to learn program for beginners with only basic publishing needs. The program comes with a good set of templates to help get the creatively challenged started and more templates can be downloaded from the web. Text creation and manipulation works well while images can be cut and pasted, re-sized and moved around the templates with ease. There is also a basic set of shapes available. The color palette available is limited but adequate for most needs. File formats available to save your work are also somewhat limited and do not include the ability to save your work in PDF format. However for $9.95 you can upgrade to version 9 that handles PDF as well as adding a lot of other features such as Pantone colors, freehand tools, mail merge and web publishing. If there is one thing that really stands out about PagePlus SE it is the ease of use. In fact if you can use Microsoft Word you can use PagePlus SE to accomplish far more with your layout than is possible with Word. Serif is also noted for offering previous customers great deals on even their latest versions, so, for some, it might be worthwhile to become a customer and watch for deals. The second, more advanced, program is Scribus, a free open source program that was originally written for Linux but is now available for Mac OS X, OS2 and Windows. Scribus is the real thing; a professional quality page layout program capable of producing "press-ready" output. The feature list is impressive; basically everything you want is there including "CMYK color, separations, ICC color management and versatile PDF creation." Graphics manipulation is handled via an interface to "The Gimp" another open source program. Scribus can also import from and export to programs in the Open Office suite. The user interface though highly functional, is not quite as slick as its commercial cousins but it can be skinned to fit in with the look of whatever operating system you are using. The documentation is excellent and there is lots of support from Scribus's enthusiastic user community.
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Scribus
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Very powerful, can do about anything that you can imagine | |
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May be too complex and powerful for casual usage | |
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http://www.scribus.net/ | |
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http://www.scribus.net/?q=downloads | |
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18.2 MB  SE  Unrestricted Freeware  Windows 2k with GDI+ Library, Windows XP, Windows Vista 32-bit&64-bit, MacOS, OS/2, Debian, Suse, RedHat, etc. |
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Editor
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This software category is maintained by volunteer editor dave007 |
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I want to self-publish a seventy-page book that has text and a few pictures. all of the content is now in MS Word. Which free desktop publishing software do you suggest I use for final formatting? (I already have MS Publisher.)
Thanks.
Have a look at LYX for the contents.
Try to use someone else's computer that has Adobe Framework or Quark Xpress, or download and use an evaluation copy.
Even with the proper software you can't really do the final formatting and expect it to look like it will once printed unless you're the one operating the printing press.
The press operator will still have to make adjustments for the color to be right, especially if it includes photos, because only they know details which affect the colors and have to be compensated for, such as how fast the ink dries. None of the free software is able to interface with commercial printing presses, and even if you're using the same software they use, they'll still have to make changes.
Thanks for the reply Sorry, I wasn't clear. I plan to print the book on my color laser.
Then not a problem if you're just doing a copy or a few at home, I thought you wanted to do a production run of them.
Try Scribus, or even MS Publisher if you have it installed already.
Thanks, I'll try them.
Scribus is now at version 1.3.3.13.
The Scribus website: http://www.scribus.net is fully operational and easy to use. Scribus comes in many languages, some of which I don't even recognize. The latest version is 1.3.3.12 (20.9 MB). It runs beautifully in Windows Vista, Linux and some other OSes.
I actually need a desktop first and then reassess whatever I need more. Thanks for providing these programs, I will sure need them in the near future.
I have searched the free desktop publishing sites and none seem to be for vista. my current corel draw prog 8 will work but will not print as it locks up.
Both Scribus (I am using version 1.3.3.9) and Serif PagePlus SE work in Vista 32 bit. I am not certain about 64 bit and hope to check that soon.
no one suggesting OpenOffice.org?
OpenOffice.org is a word processing, not a desktop publishing program, there is a difference.
I kind of know what you mean... I was in a desperate situation and people who do not design anything always think one can create a poster etc..in word processing. Well, Duh.
I needed something quick and was able to manipulate Open Office to create a small scale kind-of decent flyer for a non-profit. It would not be good for anything like a newsletter though.
I think OpenOffice falls in between desk top publishing and word processing programs. It is wayyyyy better than Microsoft !!
The OpenOffice word processing component is a word processing program. Period. I am in publishing, and I really wish clients would stop assuming that because they can see their processor-designed layout as they intended, it does not mean that the printer they send it to is going to see the layout in the same way. Among other problems, layouts designed in word processors tend NOT to be cross-platform compatible, do NOT strictly adhere to industry color separation standards, and tend NOT to produce anything in CMYK format. They are simply not sufficiently rigourous to produce a layout that is ready to print. I am sure some houses are capable of resetting these designs with a minimum of effort and never bother the client about it. Unfortunately, mine can't (we're a small operation), and I'm really irked when I explain to a client that we can't accept their submission because it's in RGB format or doesn't meet our resolution standards, only to be "told" that "all the other publishers print it without any problem." Baloney. A word processor is NOT a desktop publishing program.
Thank you - you have just answered my question - word processing against desktop publishing. Having recently corrupted a time valuable Word document while trying to insert and manupulate research documents and pictures into it I now have the answer. Thank's a million.
Concerning the excellent software Ragtime just search the net for "ragtime 5.6.5". It is the latest 'free for private use' version and still available for download from various sources.
-- Klaus
I think the product the previous poster was referring to is called "Ragtime," not "Ragetime." I can attest that it is a really impressive program for page layout, though it doesn't look like the free version is still available from the Ragtime website.
A shareware program that's worth looking at is WordExpress (about $50). It's nominally a word processor, but also handles basic DTP fairly well. --Igor
I wholeheatedly agree with the writer with regard to PagePlus. It is a first class program aimed at anyone, (not just home uses,) whos job is not full time page layout. I have been an occiasional user since V3. Even then V3, (the last version that will run on Win 3.1,) was quite useable.
V8 was the last version not to have any PDF abilities and you should note there is no option in later version not to install these abilities. I for one do not like having several differant PDF printer drivers on my machine. I reccommend both V8 - without PDF abilities and V12, (X2,) which makes full use of PDF being able to, within limits, to import, edit and export to PDF.
Lastly there is a third program you should look at 'Ragetime Solo.' This is a not for comercial use free version of 'Ragetime'. It has been withdrawn as freeware but can still be found on the net and is of a high standard.
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