frank@mnetor.UUCP (Frank Kolnick) (03/07/89)
In article <1441@csd4.milw.wisc.edu> hammen@csd4.milw.wisc.edu (Robert J. Hammen) writes: (in response to my response) > >It's my opinion that PageMaker is easier to use if you haven't exactly >figured out what your layout is going to look like. With PM, when you create >a new document, you essentially get a blank page on a drawing table, and you >can put text and graphic elements essentially anywhere, and move them around >freely. XPress, on the other hand, requires you to draw boxes where you are >going to put your page elements, and it can be sometimes difficult to move >elements around with XPress because of the parent-child relationships it >keeps with items (ie items drawn inside one box are "children" of that box, >and can't be moved outside of it). ... Well, I really *did* mean that I switched to XPress because it allowed me more freedom than PM. However, I also pointed out that it was my opinion and leave it at that. Moving related objects together was one reason, and while it's true you can't move objects outside their parent box you can copy them out and delete the original, if desired. (Of course, you don't *have* to nest the boxes if you don't want to.) >But sometimes, objects move around inexplicably on the page. Ever select a >box and use the Modify command to do something trivial to it (change the color >or something not affecting its size), only to have it complain it can't accept >your size values (which you haven't changed) because "all objects must remain >completely within their parent?" No, I use XPress a lot and this has never happened to me. XPress used to be fussy if you had frames around the boxes (another nice feature, by the way), but it can now adjust them automatically. >>And the final consideration is that >>the typesetter I use (a Linotronic shop) strongly prefers XPress (they >>tell me it prints more reliably and faster, but I haven't personally >>verified that.) > >I will most certainly disagree with this. PageMaker, since it uses its own >Prep file (Aldus Prep), prints a whole lot faster than ANY Mac application >to the Lino, and is a lot more stable. XPress relies on the Apple laser >drivers, which usually means that a new system release breaks the current >version of XPress. XPress' problems with the Linotronics are notorious - there >was a bug in older versions that could trash the EEPROMs of RIP 1's! > >>I might also add that you kinda have to know what you >>want to do with any page layout program in this class -- the power >>to create and the power to really screw it up :-). > >I'll agree with this. You've got to decide what your needs are before plunking >down the $$$. If you need powerful typographic controls, and exact placement >of objects on the page, and you've got your basic layout in mind, look at >XPress. If you want an easy-to-use program that has most of the standard >page-layout features, and is very reliable, look to PageMaker. Like the >FreeHand vs. Illustrator battle, sometimes to do what you want you have to have >both... OK, I'll admit I don't know enough about the finer points of PM to argue them, but advise anyone who is interested in page layout to actually try one of these programs for a small project ( a good dealer will let you do this; mine did). (Like Illustrator, which I also use, it was at least a month before I could call myself proficient.) I think the gist of this discussion is that these are two powerful programs that will meet almost anyone's needs but still have enough 'personality' to make one preferable to the other for particular users. In addition, there are numerous secondary considerations, such as will it it import your favourite word processor's text? style sheets? You should also consult with your local typesetter if you plan to take that route eventually. I won't defend mine's opinions, but it makes my life easier to follow them. [garbage to satisfy inews follows: k/jl/jr ;jFLKJDLkjljl/jljldjlkjdljfljlfgjlfdpofdoopioew lkfd,dsjklfdkjkjkjdhkjhfdhkhjhkslkCXhkjdsi[riweioewewhkjh iuwquyqeoiuiwuiouiouiwquiowqkjkjdhkjhkjhkjfdskhhkjhkjhkfds oiuiwuioioewiouiouidskkjhfkhkhkjhfdhkjdsliuiuoewioiouew ikuedaiuiouioeiopipoiokfdjoijjlkfjojojpoikpokesjlkjllkjsfj iouewopojkldjljlkjfsjpjjfslkjlkjlkjdpfkpskopfdoppow] -- Frank Kolnick, consulting for, and therefore expressing opinions independent of, Computer X UUCP: {allegra, linus}!utzoo!mnetor!frank