Harry, That probably works okay if you're submitting docs that are all or mostly words or black-and-white images. If you're using color photos it might not work as well. For one thing, most printers will want the photos to be at least 300 ppi and in CMYK mode rather than the standard RGB that digital cameras output. Photoshop can convert them to CMYK, so that's one option (if you have Photoshop), although I'm not sure how well Word or other word-processing programs will handle those hi-res CMYK images when it comes to outputting the PDFs.
The most important issue is in the conversion of the file from whatever format it was created in to PDF format. InDesign, Quark and other dedicated design programs have built-in features that let you fine-tune that conversion for different types of printing. I suspect that most printers know how to work with PDFs that don't meet their optimum specs, so you'll probably get decent output in most situations, but if you really need high quality reproduction you're pretty much limited to InDesign, QuarkXpress, Illustrator and/or Photoshop, with Acrobat Pro (not Reader) handling the PDF output. Unfortunately, none of the above are the "inexpensive desktop publishing program" that Anne is looking for. I suspect there is one out there someone, but I don't know what it is. Dan > Anne, > > I submit my docs to a printer in pdf form. > > > On Sep 2, 2012, at 9:16 AM, Anne Cartwright wrote: > >> Harry, >> >> I'll look into NeoOffice. What I'm really looking for is an inexpensive >> desktop publishing program that can be used to submit work to a commercial >> digital printer. >> >> Also must have PC version. I see where NeoOffice has OpenOffice. >> >> Obviously I don't know what I'm doing. >> >> Anne >> >> >> >> >> On Sep 1, 2012, at 11:44 PM, Harry Jacobson-Beyer wrote: >> >>> Hi Anne, >>> >>> Since the demise of Appleworks I have been using Neo Office. It's a free >>> open source program and, like appleworks, it has a drawing document which >>> you can use for desktop publishing. I would say the learning curve is not >>> too bad. If you are interested I would be happy to walk you through the >>> program, assuming you are in Louisville and will come to me or meet me >>> somewhere in between our homes. >>> >>> Harry >>> >>> On Sep 1, 2012, at 8:55 PM, Anne Cartwright wrote: >>> >>>> Anyone familiar with KirpiSoft (http://www.kirpisoft.com/). Apparently >>>> they sell older versions of soft ware really cheap. >>>> >>>> I'm trying to find inexpensive desktop publishing software like Adobe's >>>> InDesign. >>>> >>>> Also anyone familiar with Scribus (http://www.scribus.net/canvas/Scribus) >>>> which is an Open Source program desktop publishing program. >>>> >>>> Or anyone have any other suggestion? >>>> >>>> Thanks, >>>> >>>> Anne Cartwright >>>> >>>> >>>> _______________________________________________ >>>> MacGroup mailing list >>>> [email protected] >>>> http://www.math.louisville.edu/mailman/listinfo/macgroup >>>> >>> >>> >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> MacGroup mailing list >>> [email protected] >>> http://www.math.louisville.edu/mailman/listinfo/macgroup >>> >> >> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> MacGroup mailing list >> [email protected] >> http://www.math.louisville.edu/mailman/listinfo/macgroup >> > > > > _______________________________________________ > MacGroup mailing list > [email protected] > http://www.math.louisville.edu/mailman/listinfo/macgroup > > _______________________________________________ MacGroup mailing list [email protected] http://www.math.louisville.edu/mailman/listinfo/macgroup
