PageMaker for OS X...should Adobe make it?
I say yes.
Not everyone is a high-end, full-tilt "designer", so where is that $199 (or less) basic page layout program for OS X. And no, don't suggest some obscure, weirdo C tier app that no service bureau or printer is going to have. Adobe PageMaker is still out there, being used by many. They just can't fully go to OS X because of it. Such a drag not being able to do this.
There simply is no Adobe-quality basic desktop publishing package for consumers/office users/mom and pop desktop publishers/church newsletter creators, etc. that is OS X native and AFFORDABLE. We have Photoshop Elements. We have iPhoto and iDVD. We have Microsoft Teacher/Student edition. We have many "geared to the masses" versions of apps that are either free or around $100-200 to meet the needs of non-professionals who aren't going to drop $600-1000 on pro-level software. But the one that's most glaring in its absence is a page-layout program.
Wouldn't an OS X version of PageMaker fill this critical void? No one who isn't in high-end, professional publshing is going to pay $600-plus for InDesign. They just aren't.
Do you think Adobe would ever come around? OS X isn't going anywhere but up and more used. Why wouldn't they? Surely they can't believe that everyone using X is a total InDesign candidate, can they?
I wouldn't mind using PageMaker for this type of work we do here IF it were X native. That's all. Has anyone heard any rumblings about Adobe doing this?
[Edit: deleted personal story/situation...]
Not everyone is a high-end, full-tilt "designer", so where is that $199 (or less) basic page layout program for OS X. And no, don't suggest some obscure, weirdo C tier app that no service bureau or printer is going to have. Adobe PageMaker is still out there, being used by many. They just can't fully go to OS X because of it. Such a drag not being able to do this.
There simply is no Adobe-quality basic desktop publishing package for consumers/office users/mom and pop desktop publishers/church newsletter creators, etc. that is OS X native and AFFORDABLE. We have Photoshop Elements. We have iPhoto and iDVD. We have Microsoft Teacher/Student edition. We have many "geared to the masses" versions of apps that are either free or around $100-200 to meet the needs of non-professionals who aren't going to drop $600-1000 on pro-level software. But the one that's most glaring in its absence is a page-layout program.
Wouldn't an OS X version of PageMaker fill this critical void? No one who isn't in high-end, professional publshing is going to pay $600-plus for InDesign. They just aren't.
Do you think Adobe would ever come around? OS X isn't going anywhere but up and more used. Why wouldn't they? Surely they can't believe that everyone using X is a total InDesign candidate, can they?
I wouldn't mind using PageMaker for this type of work we do here IF it were X native. That's all. Has anyone heard any rumblings about Adobe doing this?
[Edit: deleted personal story/situation...]
Comments
HOWEVER - and this is my real point in this thread - what about all the people out there with new OS X Macs (iMacs, eMacs, iBooks, etc.) just needing to do simple newsletters or, at most, perhaps a 2-color newsletter/publication for the office/company?
Something not super "high design", but still being printed commercially?
Still no widely used (a la PageMaker), OS X native, AFFORDABLE desktop publishing package out there that people are accustomed to (again, PageMaker).
Yes, PageMaker is lame. I hate it. But that doesn't automatically erase the very real fact that TONS of people use it, like it and so forth. And all these people are, in a way, shackled to OS 9 forever because of it.
If only for a money-making/business decision reason, you'd think Adobe would realize/recognize this and go "hey, wait a minute...".
Mac commitment and all, you see...
We're not all design school grads, swathed in black and funky eyeglasses.
A couple of weeks ago I pulled the following from a post on the Apple Discussion Board. I don't know if it has any validity. An inDesign Lite sounds as if it would be just what I want.
<< If you really need to work productively in OSX I would suggest InDesign. This software works natively in OSX. InDesign will soon be coming out with version 3 and rumor has it that it will have more Pagemaker like features and there will be an InDesign Lite geared toward Pagemaker users who don't need the feature rich environment of InDesign. Because of this latest info It is doubtful that Pagemaker will ever be made into an OSX native application.>>
In other words, a $99-149 app that is to InDesign what Photoshop Elements is to Photoshop: leave off the highest-end features, leave off the HTML/web conversion stuff, leave off things like multiple master pages or long book creation features?
Gear it toward those doing "office inkjet/laser printer" newsletters. But do include support for separations for those doing the occasional commercial printing job?
Might be less confusing. Then they can ditch PageMaker (and the PageMaker name) altogether and simply have an affordable, OS X native consumer-level DTP app. Offer an attractive upgrade option for current PageMaker users, of course.
[Edit: I posted the above as the previous poster related the story about "InDesign Lite"]
Photoshop Elements and then I remember seeing Premier Elements and InDesign Elements mentioned.
I know TONS of people who'd buy it (InDesign Elements, that is).
Here's hoping that Adobe brings out a lesser version...and that the asshat who wrote the Adobe Illustrator book doesn't write a book how to use it because he'll tell people to avoid using it on the Macintosh because they might get giant space weevils in their lower intestines if they do.
asshat.
These places ALWAYS seem to at least have PageMaker (and QuarkXPress), and I could see them ponying up for what would, essentially, be just another PageMaker upgrade from their end of things.
But a brand new program? Many might balk at the idea, for reasons of a financial/technical nature. I don't know. But for small towns like the one I'm currently in, there aren't a ton of other places to turn to if your usual guy isn't supporting your app of choice.
Maybe the subtitle for this program could be "It's Really Pretty Much PageMaker, Just a Tad Bit Fuller-Featured and OS X Native...But We Have To Call It InDesign Because It Tested Better".
Think that'll fit on the box?
In any case, there's definitely a hole that needs to be filled, that's for sure. We can argue PageMaker vs. InDesign until next spring, but we're all in agreement that there needs to be something in the sub-$200 range for consumers and low-level publishers who are turned off by the complexity and cost of InDesign...BUT, who are buying new Macs with OS X as the default OS, and the notion of switching from one OS and faced with having to learn two (9 and X...try explaining to a Mac newbie what Classic is or what "booting into 9" all about...good luck!) is discouraging, to say the least. I see it every single week, people...I know of which I speak. Trust me on this one.
Hell, in just the past 2 or 3 months I could've sold about 5 or 6 copies of this imaginary product.
Apple obviously is throwing all their eggs in the X basket. And so is Adobe, now that I think about it. Maybe those rumors of InDesign Lite will come true? That would be a nifty little MWSF announcement!
Look, dammit (
I think it's completely ridiculous, but who am I? I can't snap my finger and make all those thousands of copies of PageMaker (and PageMaker users) go away. Why not make this one silly little app X native and help people out?
Besides, for all those saying "it SUCKS!!!", where, exactly, is it written that Adobe - in the process of designing an OS X version - couldn't "de-suck" it a bit and actually make it a nice, tight little program...like Photoshop Elements? Modify/simplify the InDesign flow/engine/approach, throw out the unnecessary, leave off some of the high-end bells and whistles and give all those people with new iMacs and eMacs loaded with Panther something to use for $99 or so. Something they're already familiar and happy with.
Freehand my ass...that would go over like a poot in church. Your average church secretary or receptionist tasked with producing the monthly newsletter would see all those tools and palettes and promptly freak out or have a heart attack! Have you SEEN Freehand?!? It scares the hell out of ME, and I've been using these things for a decade!
Or maybe it's time Apple created a page layout app...not a full fledge feature ridden bloated program, but a lean and easy to use QuarkXPress 3.2 knockoff. Price it like Keynote ($99?) and there's another reason to buy a Mac!
You just hit the nail on the head.
Seriously, Office S/T doesn't check. It's an excellent purchase compared to standard office, for any individual, since it doesn't check. And at Amazon, it sells for $99. That rocks. What does this have to do with the situation? Office S/T comes with a good page layout solution. Linked text boxes. Graphic Rotating. Shadows. 3D. Stars, smilies, etc. and clipart included. Fairly good wrapping. Indexing. Zoom. Grouping. I still find myself chuckling at the lack of Table Of Contents and Index features in early versions of Quark (AFAIK); even Word has it. But that's it; Word. Word has the features mentioned above. Word is a basic page layout app. I question MS Publisher because Word is pretty good at basic publishing.
Originally posted by pscates
Basically, my co-worker just needs to learn InDesign and OS X.
HOWEVER - and this is my real point in this thread - what about all the people out there with new OS X Macs (iMacs, eMacs, iBooks, etc.) just needing to do simple newsletters or, at most, perhaps a 2-color newsletter/publication for the office/company?
Microsoft Word. ms word. Ms word. MS word. MS Word. MS WOrd. MS WORd. MS WORD. MS WORD. MS WORD
Originally posted by Amorph
Well, you know, there is AppleWorks...
That was evil, Amorph. Simply evil.
Originally posted by pscates
And how much does FreeHand cost? Yeah, that's what I thought.
let's see, freehand cost $400. pagemaker cost $500. that's a, uh, well, errr, you do the math.
Freehand my ass...that would go over like a poot in church. Your average church secretary or receptionist tasked with producing the monthly newsletter would see all those tools and palettes and promptly freak out or have a heart attack! Have you SEEN Freehand?!? It scares the hell out of ME, and I've been using these things for a decade!
come on now, how hard is it to select the text tool and start typing? import an image, camand R or some such shit. this is not rocket science. sure it has a ton of other things it can do, but nobody is forcing you to use them all (nor should you).
you are never going to see adobe release an dummied down version of indesign or pagemaker at the price point your expecting. not going to happen. they would be canibalizing their own sales. if you're just printing to the network printer, then there are plenty of solutions available. need offset printing, then you need an application that is capable of dealing with some fairly complicated situations. that cost money to develop and support. as mentioned above, the only way your going to find something like this is with a third tier player, as long as it has a solid pdf workflow option.
I seriously, seriously doubt it: two different programs for two very different types of users.
Originally posted by Amorph
Well, you know, there is AppleWorks...
Seriously though, that still works. Open AW, go to 'Web' and get those templates.