Desktop Publishing in Linux
 

Hi All!

About a year ago I switched to Linux and was quite happy with RH 7.1 - even bought a 7.2. But I work in school publications and eventually had to switch back (to windows) because of Pagemaker, Photoshop (sorry, GIMP is ok but Photoshop still rules), Imageready, Illustrator, Fireworks, and Dreamweaver.

From what I've read and heard there is still no replacement/alternative/equivalent for these applications in Linux. I maybe wrong - is there?

Also, with the development of programs for OS X (like Adobe and Macromedia), Is there a possibility we may see these products available for Linux as well? I mean really written for Linux, not using WINE.

I would gladly pay (anyway my Boss would) for these products (or any good products for that manner).

- bxb32001

Chiliware
 

makes a few dtp related apps. Try doing a search on Ice Sculptor on Amazon or whatnot. I haven't used that application but I've seen several favorable reviews of it that poised me on the precipice of dropping $70 or so for it.

looks promising, but not there yet.... hmmm, I sound like one of the reviews.

I guess this is one of the areas (dtp i mean) in linux that needs a couple of years under it's belt. I always say to myself I'm willing to wait, but blue screens and freezes that happen on the most inappropriate times really get to me.

Maybe I'm hoping that the big fishes of DTP (or any other field for that matter), start selling linux versions. Maybe I'm hoping that the makers of these applications recognize linux as a viable platform and add a version or line for it (not just win and mac).

But I would also like to see native linux applications mature on their own and develop to the extent that their quality actually makes a person think about switching to linux.

- I guess I'll have to wait.

Is there any way to open pagemaker *.p65 files in Linux (preserving formatting, of course)?

Hmm ...

In your list I only saw ONE DTP program,
Pagemaker ... the rest are Graphics or
Web-Publishing? :)

Anyway. For actual lay-outing work people
here at my workplace use TeX in Emacs ;)
and they have their stuff published, too. If
you need some graphical tool, you might
look at KLyx.

Cheers,
Tink

Emacs?????? How???? What can you do in emacs????? (I am serious) Well, I will have a closer look on it.

The question is "What can't you do in emacs?" mate :)

Except for the fact that it uses a rather odd set of keyboard
shortcuts it will allow you to do whatever you want to :}

If you load a tex-file it will most likely come up with a
tex-mode that will have syntax highlighting, and a menu
that allows you to compile your tex-document and then
view it via gv or xpfd ...

However, since I don't do any scientific papers I don't
need to learn tex ;) ... I'm just a programmer and Linux Admin.

Cheers,
Tink

well, well... I am really intrigued. I will have a look on emacs (you can see I am not a programmer nor admin)

I gotta recommend LyX for typesetting stuff. The whole concept of it just makes so much sense that I'm amazed programs like Word or Pagemaker could be so popular. I've recently started using LyX, and love it. And yeah, there's similar stuff for emacs too (TeXmacs), though I haven't tried it (besides, I'm a Vim man :) )

What can Photoshop do that GIMP can't? (Well, actually Photoshop at the moment seems better for adding and laying out text elements, and there is that CMYK thing, though it looks like there's a plugin for that). But seriously, I've been a Photoshop user for almost 8 years now, and find that GIMP is plenty adequate for most things. Unless you're doing hard-core print preparation and stuff, GIMP fits the bill nicely.

Haven't used Illustrator much though, and haven't used Fireworks or Imageready at all. Browse around on freshmeat.net though, you are bound to find some good software that you didn't know about (mostly GPL, but some proprietary also).