From Jacci Howard Bear,
Your Guide to Desktop Publishing.
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Just about anyone can do desktop publishing with the right software. However, there are specific groups who tend to make the most use of the techniques of desktop publishing.

A. Freelance and in-house graphic designers, small business owners, secretaries, teachers, students, and individual consumers do desktop publishing. When desktop publishing software first debuted, desktop publishing was almost the exclusive realm of graphic designers. However, with the advent of more desktop publishing software and easier-to-use, consumer-oriented software desktop publishing became accessible to a wider range of people, including non-designers and others without graphic design experience.

Here are more detailed explanations of who does desktop publishing for profit (business people):

• a graphic designer or other professional (often with some formal training or background) who uses desktop publishing software (most often the high-end programs such as Adobe PageMaker or QuarkXPress) to design documents for clients.

• a (often) small or home-based business person (often self-trained or with a background other than design or printing) who uses their computer and desktop publishing software to design documents for clients.

• a (often) small or home-based business person with a word processing, resume, or office support business who uses their word processing software (usually) to design documents for their word processing clients.

• a person who uses their computer and desktop publishing software to design documents for their own business (not for clients). Will usually use low-end to midrange desktop publishing software and print documents directly to their desktop printers.

• a secretary, administrative assistant, or other office support person who uses word processing or desktop publishing software to design documents for an employer — in addition to their normal, non-design duties.

Additionally, desktop publishing software is frequently used by consumers for personal use for various desktop printed projects such as greeting cards, family newsletters, and other creative printing projects.

• Desktop Publishing Q&A
• Who does Desktop Publishing?
• What is Desktop Publishing?
• When was Desktop Publishing Invented?
• Where is Desktop Publishing Used?
• Why is Desktop Publishing Important?
• How do you do Desktop Publishing?