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stevet
10-07-2009, 12:18 PM
Hi everybody

I would like to know people's opinions on the major differences between Publisher and CS Indesign. Our Graphic Designer left recently (made redundant sadly) and I and somebody else try to do the work he used to do.

Whereas I use CS Indesign 3, which the Graphic Designer used, the other person here uses MS Publisher. I would like to know why you should use one over the other, or is it what knowledge and experience of the software you have of the software?

Thanks to anybody in replying in advance

Steve
PrintDriver
10-07-2009, 12:28 PM
Obviously your graphic designer wasn't redundant if you don't know the answer to that question. ;)

Publisher is junk. Ask any printer here or there. It's fine for in-office memos, basic desktop publishing (letters and such) and for office-based non-professional printing. It works in RGB rather than CMYK, and is difficult to get separations out of. Printers like Publisher files about as much as they like printing from Powerpoint files. If you get my drift... :)
stevet
10-07-2009, 12:36 PM
Thanks for the reply, I tried to ask the question in an unbiased way... The other person used Publisher for a brochure of 5000 copies he needed which he sent to a Printers firm and I have to admit the quality was the same as when we used Indesign for this particular brochure.

I don't use Publisher very much so didn't know about the RGB and Separations issue. We did a test on our Canon W8400 Plotter / Printer we have here and the quality using a Publisher file looks okay.

Steve
eugenetyson
10-07-2009, 12:45 PM
To answer the Question. Use InDesign. You'll be far happier with the results and the support you get.

Using publisher is likely to incur you extra costs at print stage for numerous complicated reasons.

But Publisher can work in CMYk.

http://www.bestprintingonline.com/mspublisher.htm

It's not the best though.

InDesign or Quark are the leading standards.

I'd recommend stop working in Publisher and everyone move to Indesign.

For InDesign you should get on courses, there are good 2 day courses available for introductory and then more 2 day courses for more advanced levels.


InDesign is far superior to Publisher. It's like comparing a Mini Cooper (publisher) to a Stealth Bomber (InDesign).


There's plenty of help on the forums here for InDesign if you get stuck.


Not so much for Publisher.
eugenetyson
10-07-2009, 12:49 PM
Thanks for the reply, I tried to ask the question in an unbiased way... The other person used Publisher for a brochure of 5000 copies he needed which he sent to a Printers firm and I have to admit the quality was the same as when we used Indesign for this particular brochure.

I don't use Publisher very much so didn't know about the RGB and Separations issue. We did a test on our Canon W8400 Plotter / Printer we have here and the quality using a Publisher file looks okay.

Steve


I admit, you can get print quality results from Publisher. But it's not as good a program as InDesign.

Just as you can make websites with MS Office applications, it's not the front end of things that look wrong, it's the coding that's all over the place. The website might look ok on some browsers, but it won't look good on others and the fixes are gigantic and complicated.

Same with Publisher for printing. It may look ok visually, but the print files simply may not work on some printing machines/rips and the coding could be all screwed up, leading to things dropping out of the print file when being RIPped.

It's all very complicated.

But InDesign is the tool you need.
GrumpyKate
10-07-2009, 01:40 PM
As a printer and a designer USE INDESIGN or Quark. If you insist on using Publisher and send files to a printer have the decency to send pdfs! Microsoft programmes cause us no end of problems that we end up not being to charge for. Keep a printer happy!!
Mynock
10-07-2009, 02:49 PM
Even inDesign in the wrong hands can create garbage.
PrintDriver
10-07-2009, 02:53 PM
Any program in the wrong hands can create garbage. With InDesign specifically, if the concepts of Transparency are not understood by the user.

Kate's point about file prep and not being able to charge for it is a printer's way of saying, it's just easier to fix your mess than try to explain why it's wrong to begin with. :)

As for letting Publisher convert to CMYK, even throwing that switch in InDesign can wreak havoc with color values. Far better to design in the proper color space to begin with.
eugenetyson
10-07-2009, 03:15 PM
The question here is "which is better"

The answer is "InDesign".
Lithonate
10-07-2009, 03:33 PM
The other person used Publisher for a brochure of 5000 copies he needed which he sent to a Printers firm and I have to admit the quality was the same as when we used Indesign for this particular brochure.

That probably speaks more to the skill or the pre-press person at the printers than Publisher being equal to InDesign. I'm sure they would have much rather preferred an InDesign file. If all else fails ask your printer which they would rather receive. Betcha a dollar they say InDesign.:D
Typically
10-07-2009, 03:40 PM
i bet a pound of bacon they say InDesign!
CkretAjint
10-07-2009, 03:41 PM
InDesign FTW!
Mynock
10-07-2009, 03:41 PM
Mmmmm bacon.
Audentia
10-07-2009, 03:51 PM
Yep Indesign.
I HATE getting files from people that are from Publisher... then I have to covert to CMYK, hope the resolution is high enough and half the time my printer still complains even after I work some magic on my end.
Indesign all the way.
Yossarian
10-07-2009, 03:53 PM
Publisher!

Hey somebody had to do it.
GrumpyKate
10-07-2009, 04:17 PM
Yossarian deserts and flees. . . are you doing that?!
CCericola
10-07-2009, 05:17 PM
Your previous graphic designer was correct in using In-Design. Publisher is not an industry standard for printers. If you are submitting publisher files I am 100% sure you are being upcharged for artwork not created with the printer's compatible software. 5,000 flyers or brochures is not a large print order and your company may be paying far too much for printing solely because of art fees. To maintain a acceptable ROI I suggest using In-Design. In fact I don't even have publisher installed on any computer here and we refuse these files.
PrintDriver
10-07-2009, 05:36 PM
We don't refuse anything. <But some things get the Toothy grin>
Broacher
10-07-2009, 05:50 PM
Xerox Ventura!

(Okay, nobody had to say that.)
PrintDriver
10-07-2009, 05:52 PM
Welll...there are some things we refuse...
CCericola
10-07-2009, 06:01 PM
We don't refuse anything. <But some things get the Toothy grin>

Yes, but you are a printer. We are a distributor. We no like extra art fees messing up our margins :)
PrintDriver
10-07-2009, 06:02 PM
Ah, and I do?????
Not so much. :p
CCericola
10-07-2009, 06:06 PM
I received a photocopy of a logo drawn on what looked to be an envelope faxed to me once to be screen printed on 20K t-shirts. Ya gotta love people because if you didn't you would end up strangling them.
Lithonate
10-07-2009, 06:16 PM
Xerox Ventura!

Wow. I've never even heard of that. :eek:
Yossarian
10-07-2009, 06:24 PM
I received a photocopy of a logo drawn on what looked to be an envelope faxed to me once to be screen printed on 20K t-shirts. Ya gotta love people because if you didn't you would end up strangling them.

Hahah, oh that's bad! Surely you strangle one every now and then.
CanDesign
10-07-2009, 09:15 PM
Hey Everybody,

Just wondering if anyone know how to create a PICTURE box in Quark 4 with only 3 rounded corners, and one normal corner?
Typically
10-07-2009, 09:20 PM
I received a photocopy of a logo drawn on what looked to be an envelope faxed to me once to be screen printed on 20K t-shirts. Ya gotta love people because if you didn't you would end up strangling them.

hahaha we get stuff like that too. the things people think are acceptable are amazes me. you figure if they are in the industry they would figure it out at some point.
Yossarian
10-07-2009, 09:24 PM
Hey Everybody,

Just wondering if anyone know how to create a PICTURE box in Quark 4 with only 3 rounded corners, and one normal corner?

You'll do better with your own new thread, but I can answer that for you pretty quick.

Make your shape with rounded corners. Next, draw a second normal box on the corner you want squared off. Overlap it on top of the other shape. Position it so it exactly lines up with the edges of the first shape.

This will work the best if you snap to guides or use your X, Y positioning coordinates to make sure the two shapes are exactly lined up.

Select both shapes and go to Item > Merge > Union.

I can't guarantee that it works exactly like that in Quark 4, but that's how I'd do it now.
CanDesign
10-07-2009, 09:33 PM
It worked. So easy lol. Thanks so much!
garricks
10-07-2009, 09:47 PM
Ventura Publisher was awesome before Corel got their hands on it. I haven't used it since Novell or WordPerfect (?) owned it in the early '90s.

To answer the OP, MS Publisher isn't available for Apple machines, so you'll have cross-platform compatibilities.
eugenetyson
10-07-2009, 10:40 PM
Ventura Publisher was awesome before Corel got their hands on it.

Amen.
Yossarian
10-08-2009, 03:25 PM
It worked. So easy lol. Thanks so much!

Glad it worked out, and welcome to GDF! You can always post a thread in the Introduce Yourself (http://www.graphicdesignforum.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=45) section if you'd like.