Desktop Publishing Books

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You may not be able to judge a book by its cover, but this Australian book has as succinct a title as you could hope for, with just one caveat, it could include newsletters, but would only suit newsletter publishers who are prepared to do the pre-work necessary to establish detailed design style-sheets, and disciplined enough to hold to those style guidelines.

The author, Gordon Woolf, assumes that his readers know how to produce a newspaper, use a computer, use Windows (or Mac) software and have at least some familiarity with earlier versions of PageMaker or other similar desktop publishing (DTP) programs. It's not a "How to Use PageMaker 6.5" book, nor is it a "How to Produce a Newspaper" book, you won't find general graphic design advice, writing tips or suggestions for obtaining advertisers.

One thing that sets this book apart from others is its absolute functional approach. In other words, it's not one to make you go all quivery over bleeding edge page design ideas from avant-garde publications. But I defy anyone who works on quick turn-around publishing projects to read it without trying the techniques and marvelling at the potential for increasing the efficiency of their publishing endeavours.

Templates and script files are available on a web site and purchasers of this book also have access to an e-mail enquiry service.

Although there is a short introductory section, which includes a diagram of key elements of a generalised PageMaker screen, the book is more aimed at users familiar with earlier versions of PageMaker, rather than absolute newcomers to the program. Screen captures are used to illustrate techniques, but the descriptions are written for an audience that already understands common terminology used in Windows 95 (and Macs) general DTP, newspaper and printing environments. Instructions for Win 95 and Mac users are given side by side.

Each chapter's examples are supplemented with practical tips that, if followed, will further improve your efficiency. How to use templates and style tags is covered-with the provided templates, tags and scripts used in the examples-before moving on to creating your own.

Templates and tags for editorial content are covered separately from those used for advertising content. Although it might not be apparent immediately, the more restrictive environment of editorial content makes it much easier for a novice to understand the value of developing and using these techniques in a newspaper publishing environment.

In Chapter 5, which covers creating templates and style tags, the reader gets a good grounding in why and how a template should be created. This is also where you see the importance of the pre-work, the need to develop good, serviceable templates, and why they should be used as such. The author also explains why you should use a template, rather than re-working a file. The short version is this, a template ensures you always begin with a clean slate.

"Putting it all together" really gets in to the nitty-gritty. If you've never had an insider's look at the publication of a newspaper you may be wondering just what it is that makes newspapers so different from other forms of publication.

A quick look at some of the characteristics of newspaper production reveals three key distinguishing characteristics:
A number of contributors (content and layout) working independently to produce a single finished product
Two main streams of input, advertising and editorial, each with very different, but rigid specifications
Tight deadlines.
Here you will find information on how to:
Manage files from multiple sources
Control style tags and default spacing settings
Combine templates for editorial and advertisements in a full-page assembly template
Use scripts to automate repetitive tasks.
How to write scripts isn't covered, except at a very basic level, but the author recommends at least one book on the subject for those who want to study scripting further. Hints, tips and handy shortcuts are also included.

The final section, Graphics & Colour is the shortest, which isn't surprising given that much of the actual graphics work will have been done using a drawing or illustrating program, so the concentration here is on importing art into the newspaper.

Chapter 12 "Some general layout hints" is the shortest of all, but it includes some gems of wisdom that all new desktop publishers should learn, including the following:

"The purpose of layout is to make it easy for the reader and to attract him to the extent that he starts reading and keeps on reading."
and
"Everything seems possible, but it should be remembered that with newspapers, the news is the purpose, and once layout goes beyond the stage of making things easier for the reader, then the essential purpose is defeated."

One sign that the DTP revolution is well and truly won is the diverse range of businesses and organisations that do some form of in-house publishing. When you occasionally publish a newsletter, brochure or other document, you can get by with the general tools and techniques you already know. For producing a quantity of material on deadline, you need specialist tools and well-tuned techniques. If PageMaker 6.5 is your tool and you are producing a newspaper or newsletter of any substance this book can help you automate much of the production process, streamline the process of formatting material to a strict set of rules and bring together material from advertising and editorial streams.

Specifically designed for introducing novice educators, school board members, and concerned parents to Act! 2007, this thoroughly 'user friendly' guide by author, educator, and IT professional Indera E. Murphy provides step-by-step instructions on installing and customizing ACT! Readers will learn how to create, edit, and duplicate contract, company, and group records of all kinds. "No Stress Tech Guide to ACT! 2007" shows how to use the 'Lookup' command, sort contract records, link company and contact records, how to run and customize reports, scheduling activities and create opportunities, modify report templates and menus, as well as import and export data. Of special note is the information relevant to performing database maintenance tasks. All this and more comprise "No Stress Tech Guide to ACT! 2007", making it an invaluable and very strongly recommended instruction manual and reference guide!

Microsoft Works 9, while easy to use for the most basic of purposes, is difficult to master. "No Stress Tech Guide to Microsoft Works 9" is the manual that should have been included with the product in the first place, covering every aspect of the program from word processing to spreadsheets, to databases and so much more. Speaking in a technophobe friendly, at times humorous, conversational tone throughout, it's one manual that is not a complete chore to read. The "No Stress Tech Guide to Microsoft Works 9" is a top pick for anyone trying to master the application, and for community library computer collections.

This is the type of book that should come with most software....but sadly does not!I ordered this book as soon as it came out and keep it close to my computer. The instructions are clear and concise; the index is a usable tool. I find that I still refer to it for help. While Printmaster may be quite simple to some, I found some quirks in it that baffled me. This guide book was truly a lifesaver for me. I am enjoying my Printmaster program more and find I use it much more often, now that I feel I have mastered it!

The Siebel Starter's Kit provides a clear view of Siebel for someone who does not know anything about Siebel yet. An ideal starting point for a new end user.

Nowadays many people is involved Cad/Cam business. There are designers, engineers, managers, directors etc. People who wants to make career should read this book first. It tells you what your aim should be and how it could be reached.

Kenny Schiff, a leading authority in the field of desktop publishing, authored Desktop Publishing Careers with the intention of providing students and professionals with the information needed to make good decisions about their careers. Schiff allows the reader to explore the career of desktop publishing by filling this complete guide with a factual history about the field and testimonials by successful professionals in the printing and business industries. Desktop Publishing Careers discusses topics such as educational requirements, employment outlook, salary opportunities, and career advancement. Besides giving a general overview of the field of desktop publishing, the author provides the reader with methods for finding where to get more information.
Kenny Schiff begins Desktop Publishing Careers with a definition of desktop publishing. The author defines the term as the revolutionary ability for an author, artist, office worker, or small-business owner to create and produce reader ready work without needing the services of outside professionals allowing and unprecedented amount of control over one's own work. Schiff then clarifies and emphasizes the advantage of desktop publishing by explaining the historical progression of communication and (eventually) printing and citing the key events that led to publishing as we know it today.
In the third chapter, the author provides a table listing the many and diverse forms of desktop publishing occupations in order to give the reader an idea of actual applications of desktop publishing in specialized areas of business. This listing uses actual job listings from classified advertisements. The author lists the job title or more generic term, the job description, and further explanation of the job.
After introducing desktop publishing as a concept and illustrating how it is applied in occupations, Kenny Schiff begins to discuss in depth the categories of desktop publishing careers including the business publisher, graphic arts, pre-press, and service bureaus. In each area, the author explains the occupations and gives information and quotations from actual desktop publishing professionals interviewed exclusively for Desktop Publishing Careers.
The author describes the role of desktop publishing abilities in business publishing occupations such as administrative assistants, corporate communications specialists, and technical writers. He then discusses desktop publishing in relation to graphic arts jobs like designers, advertising representatives, and book and magazine publishers. Schiff then explains the quick print shops and transitions in the field of pre-press and service bureaus.
Next, Kenny Schiff gives advice on finding a job in desktop publishing. The author suggests researching the market and targeting a specific company. Then, he discusses the cover letter and resume for applying for a desktop publishing position. Schiff also explains how one can use desktop publishing in starting a business, telecommuting, self-publishing, and independent desktop publishing. Finally, the author concludes by discussing future trends in desktop publishing and printing trades, color, image processing, formats, and multimedia. The back of Desktop Publishing Careers includes appendices with information on hardware, software, professional organizations and associations, magazines, and trade publications.

This book is easy to follow, easy to find answers and takes you from beginning to end in a painless fashion. It allows you to learn as much or as little as you want without wasting your time.

Although I am usually not a big fan of the Visual Quick Start series I really like this one. Mr. Alspach certainly knows what he is writing about. Written in a clear, pleasant way without the unnecessary stupid jokes you encounter far too much in computer books these days. Great coverage of all the basic and intermediate Pagemaker stuff. Good as a study book and very good as a reference book. If you are a beginning or intermediate Pagemaker user needing a book to support you when you are using Pagemaker, buy this one.
If you buy this one and Pagemaker 7: Classroom in a book, you have the perfect combination to learn how to use Pagemaker.

Mike Gooseberry, call me do. Its Rachie-Roo who wants to get hold of you. Send us an E Mr Gooseberry, love from your mad english friends, Benj + Rhubarb XXX