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Adobe Indesign....

and other publishing packages.

HOW MUCH ???

Is there a way of acquiring these on the cheap ? previous versions etc.

Are they relatively easy to learn starting from a v. limited knowledge starting place ?

Looking at producing a few online mags, newsletters etc, and advice from those with publishing knowledge would be gratefully received.

Comments

  • I use it at work and have taught myself effectively. No expert but can create pages, adjust graphics etc. The help function is pretty good and there are loads of guides online.

    I reckon it would cost £300 legit.
  • What operating system do you use? There are some free desktop publishing packages for the Windows (http://desktoppub.about.com/od/findsoftware1/tp/freedtpsoftware.htm). For online mags you usually have to produce pdfs first. The regular price of Adobe In Design which is part of Creative suite is over 1000 pounds. You also need software for editing pics etc
  • lots of ways to get it for free....

    there are trial versions on the Adobe website, now if you can find a multi use serial number.....

    wouldnt use indesign for something online really.
  • I'm sure last time we upgraded (cs4) it cost us 180 or 600 notes outright for a new package, that's on mac, not sure if PC is cheaper
  • Simple answer is become a student. Adobes Photoshop CS4 when I looked at it was £880. Students get it, full version, for approx £180. Slight difference! I'd enroled on an OU course and that would have counted me as a student... so just jump on the cheapest course - wine tasting perhaps Danny?
  • Could try scribus (http://www.scribus.net/) supposedly the best free alternative to InDesign
  • Yeah, the student thing is probably your best bet for Indesign Dan, maybe try 'software4students'.

    It's pretty complex to get to really know well though and I've been using it for years, but I was self taught.

    But as said previously there is loads of help online.
  • [cite]Posted By: FriskyFisky[/cite] it cost us 180 or 600 notes
    quite a gap between those figures lol
  • If you're just working online, get a decent blog template - Wordpress is versatile and some of its templates don't have that "chunky" blog feel.
  • Use it everyday, awesome package in my opinion. Wouldn't be any good on a pc tho, your better off getting some kind of weird PC software!! On a mac tho InDesign rules baby! Beats the shit out of Quark Express!
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  • Hi.....
    Used QXP for 12 years, trained on Adobe In design last 9 months.....

    Used to have the software, but no longer bother the updating changes every 2 years, yes you can get hacked copies but I just use photoshop now.

    Do all my designing in that, make pdfs in in design...... I never did the web stuff at least the Flash/web route too many mac jockeys doing that earning £6 quid an hour!

    Most designers got out of that a couple of years ago could not make any decent money, kids do this at school nowadays!

    Cost creative suite from scratch £950 at the mac show......

    Been using it 50 hours this week so do not want to to do any more at home.... have to agree that it is better than quark which i thought I never would say!

    I use a imac at work use to use a top g4 with all the bits so in the end it is the same money.

    Doing more photography/graphics these days, I find you need photoshop whatever you do in graphics!
  • [cite]Posted By: ken from bexley[/cite]have to agree that it is better than quark which i thought I never would say!

    Same as me, used Quark in my first 2 print jobs, now my current firm use InDesign! Hated it at first but it is so much better than quark, thought i would never say it lol
  • Hi.... MCS are you on the print/ output side or a designer.......
    '
    Been a 'print designer' for years, been getting back to photography and writing too many 'mac jockeys' wannabee media types for me........

    I am as they say at the 'fag end' of my print career. 37 years.

    Started off as a writer, gonna finish off as one, write books on 'obscure musicians' as my kids put it...
  • InDesign is your best bet for producing newsletters especially if you want to create pdf's and keep the size down for downloading. However it's pretty costly and I would imagine there are some decent free publishing software out there. But if you want to drop in copy, pictures, do lots of editing InDesign is the way to go although if you have no experience doing this type of work you would be starting on a very in-depth package so decent learning curve to crack.
  • [cite]Posted By: ken from bexley[/cite]Hi.... MCS are you on the print/ output side or a designer.......
    '
    Been a 'print designer' for years, been getting back to photography and writing too many 'mac jockeys' wannabee media types for me........

    I am as they say at the 'fag end' of my print career. 37 years.

    Started off as a writer, gonna finish off as one, write books on 'obscure musicians' as my kids put it...

    Ken, i have been in this game for 10 years or so now (only a youngun me) started as a junior doing chromalin, ozalids and bromides, outputting film etc etc. Then moved on to the macs doing various artworking things! Next job i had was a bit of an up step for me, as cos i was junior at the first firm i was never gonna earn properly being an artworker there! So i moved and the next job was running a digital press (HP Indigo 1050) then a Xerox Docucolor 5000 (which is basically what i am now! So i do the front end artworking if needed, or print stuff, or now in my latest job i have been running some large format printers (HP Z6100) in a firm in Peckham.

    For anyone who cares too they just gave me more work till end of October which is great for me! So all is good in the mcs house hold today ;-)

    Sorry for life story Ken i love me print i do lol
  • Good on yah MCS.....

    I specialised in magazine and newspaper design for consumer and trade can't complain, well actually I do! but no one listen's.......

    started off with paste up cow gum and scapel, cast off and handsetting, first the typsetters went, then the output /repro houses, and now quite a few printers......

    I visited my web printers the other week, no staff on the factory floor! Automated and sealed great quality, and the job whizzed through , cheap, quick and very professional......

    miss bringing the presses to a standstill though! the magenta is down I think...... clean the blanket's i think..... gotta keep the printers on there toes......
  • Dan,

    If you can get hold of the latest issue of macUser (17 July issue) there's a big feature called 'cut-price price design suite' which goes through lots of low-cost alternatives to Adobe CS (Indy, Illy and PhotoShop).

    Might be worth a look for you
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