Free Desktop Publishing Software
Monday November 20, 2006
If you are only planning to do a little bit of desktop publishing for a specific personal project then even the inexpensive $80-$100 programs may be too much for your pocketbook. Perhaps one of these free desktop publishing software options will meet your needs. They are also options to consider if you're considering doing more desktop publishing but don't want to invest a lot of money up front for something you're not sure you'll be able to pursue full-time.
Of the three programs listed -- Serif PagePlus SE, Scribus, and OpenOffice -- how many have you tried? In your opinion, how do they compare to other costilier desktop publishing choices?
Comments
I tried Page Plus and although it is quite good, it falls short in many areas. It is no comparison to Dreamweaver.
Ok Jacci,i donīt do desktop publishing but i was trying to edit a magazine and i have tried the Openoffice.org, is much better than word (ms office), but still miss some things that i thing necessary. Excuse my poor english, iīm not english speaken, can you recomend me which one of this free is better for that, i mean edit and design magazines. Thanks Cesar
N/A
Dreamweaver is a web design program and Page Plus is a DTP program. They’re not deigned for the same job so there’s no point in comparing them.
i think DreamWeaver is a good program and it works realy well!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I have tried to download the free version of Serif. After a couple of tries it downloaded, but then the registration key thet send doesn’t work. I then tried to buy it, but the payment page doesn’t seem to work if you’re outside the USA. Frankly it’s pathetic in this day and age.
I really like Open Office. It seems to have a bit of everything incorporated into it. I did not find the Help feature adequate for me.
The free PagePlus is incredible. I use the pro version but have all my customers download the free version. (I own a printing and graphic design company) The free version is all many people need for a pro looking brochure, newsletter etc… Why anyone would pay for Publisher when there is a richer and much easy program available…. and the pro version is as good as Indesign or Quark at a fifth of the price, again much easier to use. If you download the free version they later will ask you if you like to try an old version of the pro stuff for almost nothing. Try it you will not be disappointed.
I have used the free version of serif photo plus for some on the fly photo editing for my websites. It is quite easy to use.I recommend it highly.
Of course the giveaway versions of serif are older versions of their software. I recommend them highly and are a valuable freebie!
albert grande
Pizza On Earth…
I asked for free download of dtp software., instead of providing me the same, you are displaying so many web pages which do not download the software., there by my interest in using your website seizes.
I’m surprised to see people say that they know what DTP is and say they use DreamWeaver and not PageMaker; and then there’s this rather funny comment about Serif being accessible only from USA and another saying that the links are for webpages and not downloads!?
The only ones making sense, so far, are the Pro and the Author.
I’ve used Adobe PageMaker [and still love v6.5; in preference to all the later versions] and CorelDraw [I prefer v10, again here] and I’ve tried out Serif, which, like the Pro said, is more than enough for anyone to do the basic layout design with. I do CMYK color separations, for which I use Corel 10 since it’s a snap compared with the Adobe Acrobat Distiller and gives me the same resolution, anyways.
Except for the lack of a color separation distiller in the free Serif software, I must say I found it very good.
I wish people would try to be a bit more appreciative of the efforts put in by people before shooting their mouths off.
Just thought I’d throw in my two bits worth.
Good show.
Oh, by the way, thanks a ton for the Scribus lead.
I’m downloading that one just now and must say it shows promise!
:-)
Doing personal DP replicating small Oregon newspapers from 1895 to 1930.
Need free condensed & extra condensed headline typefaces.
Also need free body copy typefaces.
All probably pre-Linotype since newspaper did not have a Linotype until mid 1930’s.
Where are such free typefaces on web?