# Adobe PageMaker and similar software



## SoniCX (Feb 24, 2004)

hi boys and girls,

i was told by my teacher in school that i have to make the yearbook's layout with adobe's pagemaker. i've never worked with that program before. does anybody know of good tuturials or something like that? or does anybody know of a different (and easier) software to create the yearbook?

(just want to tell u guys: i'm from germany and i used to live in the states so i know the american yearbook is quite different to the german one.)

thank you


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## Natobasso (Feb 25, 2004)

you poor thing! Why PageMaker (PageWaster!) of all programs? Tell her you demand to use InDesign. If they have old PageMaker files then InDesign should be able to open them. I can't imagine why PageMaker would be the design program of choice wehn there's so much better out there.

Here's a great place to start for PageMaker links, including links for free tryout downloads:

http://desktopPublishing.com/pagemaker.html

Hope this helps!


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## Natobasso (Feb 25, 2004)

Of course I just remembered that PageMaker, the program, has been discontinued by Adobe in favor of InDesign


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## monktus (Feb 28, 2004)

Has Adobe finally discontinued it? As far as I knew it was still around but I hadn't looked for a while.

Anyway, yes, InDesign is much better to work with than PageMaker. There's also Quark XPress but it's more expensive and still not as good as InDesign IMHO. The only problem with InDesign is that some printers won't take files in its native format but you can always get round this by exporting to PDF or EPS. It's usually not a big deal but I had a rather half-assed printer hassle me about it recently.


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## Natobasso (Feb 28, 2004)

monktus said:
			
		

> It's usually not a big deal but I had a rather half-assed printer hassle me about it recently.



I would respond to that printer (as other posters have here at macosx.com) that if he wants to continue doing business he better catch up with the times!


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## Arden (Feb 29, 2004)

PageMaker is to Indesign as Mac Paint is to Photoshop.  You should definitely try to get your teacher to let you use something that's at least OS X-compatible.


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## mdnky (Feb 29, 2004)

Natobasso said:
			
		

> I would respond to that printer (as other posters have here at macosx.com) that if he wants to continue doing business he better catch up with the times!



To add to that, inform him of the "Print Service Provider" program offered by Adobe.  $600 membership fee gets you a copy of the CS programs and some Tech Support as well as updates and a listing with Adobe as a provider.

http://partners.adobe.com/asn/programs/printserviceprovider/compare.jsp

http://partners.adobe.com/asn/programs/printserviceprovider/authorized.jsp


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## SoniCX (Mar 7, 2004)

Thank you guys for all your help. I'm glad you took the time to do this. 

I can tell you that right now I'm working with both programs, InDesign and PageMaker. Right now I try to convince my teachers and students of switching to InDesign because I realize that its much better then the (old) PageMaker; like you told me.

Thanks again.

Lars


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