More and more small businesses and individuals are taking a “do it yourself” approach to document publishing and design. The good news is that most of them can improve your color copies so take advantage of a strong suite of self-publishing software out there, which is easy to use and versatile. Each of these software options offers templates and fairly easy to use interfaces. Some are better suited to individuals or small businesses. The following is a quick list of some of the best offerings out there.1. Pages for Apple - Easy To Use and Professional Results. For most “do it yourself” document designers, the easiest to use and most flexible document design software is Apple’s Pages. It is sold as a part of Apple’s iWork package and one of the great pluses of the software is its easy back and forth integration with iphoto, numbers and imovie.
Pages for Apple is easy to use and has great integration tools.
2. Broderbund The Print Shop 23 Deluxe - Lots Of Templates and Graphics. Print Shop's huge range of templates and extensive searchable art collection (more than 370,000 clip art images and graphics and over 21,000 project templates) make this software perfect for family projects; it’ll make even your Uncle Bob (the one with two teeth who’s still excited that they “came out” with a Pentium chip) look like he knows what he’s doing.
Broderbound’s entry into the desktop publishing format is simple, easy to navigate and for those who like to use templates is a winner.
3. Serif PagePlus X3 Publisher Professional - Great Value and Lots of Power. According to reviews, Serif PagePlus X3 Publisher Professional provides all the desktop publishing tools a small business needs, including a logo studio. You can prepare files for professional as well as home printing.
Serif’s publish software is a little more advanced then the basic packages and its integrated logo design studio make it a great deal.
4. Adobe InDesign CS4 - Full Integration with Other Adobe Products Like Photoshop. In review after review, critics praise Adobe InDesign CS4 as the best desktop publishing software for professional use. It offers sophisticated tools for designing commercial projects such as magazines and newspapers. If you’re looking for something more than software to print the menus at your Mom and Pop Pizza Shop and write your Christmas letter, give this one a try.
If you are a little more advanced then you average bear, this is the publishing software for you. It is highly flexible.
5. Scribus - Its Free and Packs a Bang. Reviews say Scribus rivals Adobe InDesign CS4 for capability, with sophisticated text and layout tools. It runs on Linux as well as on Windows and Mac operating systems… the best things in life are free!
Scribus is a freeware product and it rivals Adobe inDesign CS4.