Desktop Publisher Software Confusion

L

Levity

New Member
Hi,

I'm about to purchase some desktop publishing software, but since the amount of money I'll be spending varies from £100-£700 (would prefer it to be £100) I want to make sure it's the right one.

So I rang about 10 printers in my local area and got mixed responses. Some said Publisher files were fine. One sounded a bit sniffy about them and said I would need to convert to PDF at my end before sending to them. A Pontaprint strongly recommended going for InDesign. A different Pontaprint said Publisher was fine - ideally they would like the Publisher file + PDF file in case there is a problem with the PDF. Most sounded like they would accept Publisher, but I got a couple of printers strongly in favour of InDesign so now I'm confused.

I'm favouring Publisher now because: 1. It's cheaper. 2. I've used it in the past, know it and think it will be suitable for the simple layouts I would be doing.

Does anyone who uses Publisher experience problems with printing? There are a few issues I could think of:

1. I would save PSDs as TIFFs to use in Publisher. Does this present any problems?
2. Converting to PDF - saw a thread on here about a website that offers this service, which seemed to be trustworthy.
3. Things moving around - I've heard this happens when converting from Pub to PDF.

Thanks for any advice you can give! I'm just starting out and don't want to make expensive mistakes before I've even begun.

Victoria
 
Levity said:
I'm favouring Publisher now because: 1. It's cheaper. 2. I've used it in the past, know it and think it will be suitable for the simple layouts I would be doing.
Click to expand...

Without wishing to sound harsh, if you are genuinely considering this, then you need to take some training first as you are clearly not a graphic designer.

...and using a website to convert to PDF? Do you even know what distiller is?

There are any number of design tools out there, and there are some perfectly acceptable free ones, but Publisher is a sack. I have seen some good work done with it, but it isn't a professional design tool. As far as I can remember Publisher doesn't know what a bleed is (you had to set the page oversize), though my knowledge isn't current so that may have chanegd.

If design software doesn't know what a bleed is then I hate to think of the knowledge level of the user.
 
Being printer myself, I strongly discourage use of Publisher..
However we come across quite a few people who have their artwork done in Publisher, but they are not designers, so I don't blame them. People even send design in word, PowerPoint and works.
 
I've not yet received any publisher files myself, but one of the problems about moving sections in the pdf is mentioned elsewhere on the board here: http://www.graphicdesignforums.co.uk/printing-print-design-forum/2083-publisher-pdf.html.

It sounds like you'd be creating trouble for both the printer and for yourself. So I would definately opt for InDesign in this case. There are books literally everywhere on how to use the program too, so I wouldn't be put off if you have little knowledge on how to use it. Plus, you know you'd always have a much broader help desk as it is arguably the designers number one for layout.
 
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