Thursday, 20 February 2014

Desktop Publishing

Desktop publishing (abbreviated DTP) is the creation of documents using page layout skills on a personal computer. Desktop Publishing Software can generate layouts and produce typographic quality text and images comparable to traditional typography and printing. This technology allows individuals, businesses, and other organizations to self-publish a wide range of printed matter. Desktop publishing is also the main reference for digital typography. When used skillfully desktop publishing allows the user to produce a wide variety of materials, from menus to magazines and books, without the expense of commercial printing.

Desktop publishing combines a personal computer and WYSIWYG page layout software to create publication documents on a computer for either large scale publishing or small scale local multifunction peripheral output and distribution. Desktop publishing methods provide more control over design, layout, and typography than word processing does. However, word processing software has evolved to include some, though by no means all, capabilities previously available only with professional printing or desktop publishing.

The same DTP skills and software used for common paper and book publishing are sometimes used to create graphics for point of sale displays, promotional items, trade show exhibits, retail package designs and outdoor signs. Although what is classified as "DTP software" is usually limited to print and PDF publications, DTP skills aren't limited to print. The content produced by desktop publishers may also be exported and used for electronic media. The job descriptions that include "DTP", such as DTP artist, often require skills using software for producing e-books, web content, and web pages, which may involve web design or user interface design for any graphical user interface.


Types of Software - Desktop Publishing


There are four general groups of software used in desktop publishing software most designers need. The following is a list of major desktop publishing software. A wide range of related software tools exist in this field, including many plug-ins and tools related to the applications listed below.
Several software directories provide more comprehensive listings of desktop publishing software, including VersionTracker and Tucows.

  1. Free / Open-source
  2. Proprietary
  3. Historical
  4. External links

Free / Open-source

          Scribus
          LyX
          Fatpaint (Cloud-based)

Proprietary

          Adobe InDesign
          Adobe PageMaker, was Aldus Pagemaker; supplanted by InDesign
          Corel Draw
          QuarkXPress
          FrameMaker, now owned by Adobe
          Greenstreet Publisher Home and Publisher Business
          InPage - DTP which works with English + Urdu, Arabic, Persian, Pashto etc.
          Interleaf/QuickSilver
          iStudio Publisher - Desktop publishing and page layout software for Mac OS X
          Lucidpress - Desktop publishing and page layout software that is web-based and collaborative
          Microsoft Publisher
          Pages, by Apple, Inc.
          PageStream, formerly known as Publishing Partner
          Prince XML, by YesLogic
          Print Shop, originally produced by Broderbund
          RagTime
          Serif PagePlus
          Ventura Publisher, now owned by Corel and originally developed by Xerox
          UltraXML, XML Dynamic Publishing Solution
          Xara Designer Pro X
          Xara Page & Layout Designer

Historical

          1st Press Desktop Publishing Software, GST Software
          1st Word Publisher, GST Software
          Adobe HomePublisher from Aldus, was Aldus Personal Press
          AppleWorks for Mac and Windows
          Calamus - for Atari TOS-based computers
          geoPublish - for the Commodore 64
          Pressworks, GST Software
          Timeworks Publisher
          AcornDTP - for the Acorn Archimedes
          Impression and Impression Publisher - for the Acorn Archimedes


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