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InDesign 2.0 (12/04/2001)

InDesign 2.0

Entered CNET Catalog: 12/04/2001

SKU: 0718659216962

Manufacturer: Adobe Systems

Manufacturer description

Adobe InDesign is a state-of-the-art page layout and design program that delivers unprecedented creative freedom, productivity, and precision. Created for high-end graphic designers, production artists, and prepress professionals, Adobe InDesign removes the creative barriers presented by current publishing software, providing a powerful set of tools that can shorten the distance between inspiration and reality. Adobe InDesign software speaks the language of professional designers, delivering unparalleled creative freedom, productivity, and precision for designing superb pages. It works seamlessly with Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator, providing a single integrated design environment that doesn't interrupt your creative process. InDesign even opens QuarkXPress and Adobe PageMaker files, so you can bring your work with you as you enter a new world of design possibilities. With InDesign, your creativity is in command.

Product summary

The goodThe good: Excellent typography tools; new transparency and long-document features; comprehensive settings for output to multiple formats.

The badThe bad: Feeble search and replace; can't create bulleted lists, automatic numbering, or footnotes.

The bottom lineThe bottom line: Choose InDesign for the most sophisticated desktop publishing tasks. Sorry, Quark. InDesign is our new DTP of choice.

Average user rating: from 62 users
4.0 stars

Editors' review

  • Editors' Choice: Yes
  • Reviewed on: 12/12/2001
Adobe Systems created InDesign to woo you away from QuarkXPress, which currently dominates the high-end desktop publishing niche. The first InDesign releases had a lukewarm reception; the program was underpowered and not worth the trouble of converting files from Quark. However, InDesign 2.0 is a different story. Adobe has supercharged this program with tables, transparency controls, long-document features, and output in both HTML and XML (a coding language for documents similar to HTML but far more flexible). We think the new features make InDesign the top choice for producing four-color magazines, books, and corporate identity material as well as onscreen documents, such as PDF files, e-books, and Web pages. In fact, InDesign's multipurpose output and fabulous typography tools finally push it through Quark's glass ceiling. Move over, Quark. InDesign finally has you beat. Adobe Systems created InDesign to woo you away from QuarkXPress, which currently dominates the high-end desktop publishing niche. The first InDesign releases had a lukewarm reception; the program was underpowered and not worth the trouble of converting files from Quark. However, InDesign 2.0 is a different story. Adobe has supercharged this program with tables, transparency controls, long-document features, and output in both HTML and XML (a coding language for documents similar to HTML but far more flexible). We think the new features make InDesign the top choice for producing four-color magazines, books, and corporate identity material as well as onscreen documents, such as PDF files, e-books, and Web pages. In fact, InDesign's multipurpose output and fabulous typography tools finally push it through Quark's glass ceiling. Move over, Quark. InDesign finally has you beat.

Not for amateurs
If you're looking for a friendly desktop publisher with wizards, templates, and context-sensitive help, this is not the layout app for you. For starters, its largely uncustomizable, Adobe-standard interface sports a small toolbar and a mishmash of tabbed palettes in small type that only a user with excellent eyesight could love. You can nest palettes together, dock them on the side of the display, and add keyboard shortcuts for some functions, but that's about it. If you're familiar with other Adobe products, such as Illustrator and Photoshop, however, you'll find the interface comfortable and familiar.

To set up a document, define the desired page size, margins, and columns, then place text and graphics on the page; you can either import whole files or type text and create drawings with InDesign's flexible illustration tools. Unlike Quark, with a rigid Place command that makes you select a specific cursor and have a text or graphic box ready to receive the file, InDesign's easy File > Place command lets you import any type of file, regardless of the currently selected tool, and drops the imported material wherever you designate. This convenience saves extra steps and a lot of time if you are importing many files. InDesign 2.0 also imports QuarkXPress files flawlessly--a nice touch that makes the migration process relatively painless.

As you might expect from Adobe, InDesign's typography tools are awesome. The program uses a special algorithm to ensure the most visually pleasing type we've ever seen, and InDesign lets you adjust and tweak the font, color, and special effects of both character and paragraph styles. We were quite impressed with InDesign's Unicode support, too; we added Japanese kana and a good selection of kanji characters without having to install special software.

Not just for brochures anymore
Layout designers will adore InDesign's new Table and Book features. The Table feature lets you create and format tables as well as convert tab-delimited text from word processing, database, and spreadsheet programs. In addition to presenting tabular material in an organized manner, these tables are handy for creating structured Web pages. However, since InDesign's Web tools are basic (you can't create rollovers or other neat Web stuff), we recommend using InDesign primarily for paper docs that you'd also like to publish on the Web.

The handy Book palette groups multiple documents into a list and numbers pages sequentially for you. From this palette, you can print selected files, package them for the typesetter, and synchronize colors and paragraph and character styles across the book for consistency. Adobe has added the ability to generate indexes and tables of contents, letting you save a group of Table Of Contents settings as a style--quite useful if you need several types of lists in a book, for example, separate lists for figures and tables. Quark boasts a similar and just as useful long-document feature. However, neither InDesign's nor Quark's book tools are as powerful as FrameMaker's, which can assemble lists of imported files, fonts, markers, and cross-references.

Sophisticated tools
Although InDesign is no substitute for a full-blown illustration program such as CorelDraw, its subset of drawing tools (which includes a Bezier pen, pencil, eraser, smoother, and scissors) is quite convenient for simple graphics. New in version 2.0 are nifty transparency controls that let you apply drop shadows, feathering, and other editable transparency settings to text, graphics, and images. The program also maintains transparency in native Illustrator and Photoshop files and imports and exports transparent Acrobat 5.0 (PDF 1.4) files.

Multiple publishing options
For quite a while, Adobe has thumped the multipurposing drum, claiming that InDesign's advantage is its ability to create one document and use it for print, Web, and e-book readers. So far, Adobe seems to be following through on its promise. InDesign lets you save a single file in many different formats: PostScript, PDF, HTML, XML, and SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics, which lets you view an image on a screen of any size and resolution).

Not perfect but getting there
InDesign's one major deficiency? Its Search And Replace feature lets you search only for text and special characters. There's no way to search for a style and replace it with a different one, something that FrameMaker allows. Neither can you search for figures, tables, or special formatting breaks. We also miss automatic numbering, bulleted lists, and footnotes--items often found in long documents that are tedious to typeset by hand. But Quark also lacks these features.

On the whole, however, InDesign 2.0 is polished, elegant, and multifaceted, and we think it offers more than QuarkXPress. If you're looking for the top of the line in desktop publishing, this is it.

InDesign's new Table Of Contents feature lets you assemble lists of paragraphs and assign new styles to them.

User opinions

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User Rating:
4.0 stars

out of 62 user reviews

[Very Gradually] the wave of the future

Pros: Compatibility with Acrobat, Illustrator, and Photoshop. Less imposing than Quark.

Cons: Few printing companys and practically no newspaper publishers take InDesign files.

Review:
User Rating:
1.5 stars

out of 62 user reviews

memory hog, crashes other appz, illogical UI

Pros: destroys primitive appz like quark, etc.

Cons: adobe (at least indesign team) needs to look at macromedia and learn consistency and supreme UI.

Review:
User Rating:
5.0 stars

out of 62 user reviews

is anybody still using quark???

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Cons:

Review: the real designer and type lover pro got to use indy, the best soft i?ve ever use, it has every single feature that you could expect, simply perfect, a 10 points app quark sucks, move to the future, get indesign
User Rating:
5.0 stars

out of 62 user reviews

The best of Quark and Pagemaker

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Cons:

Review: I work in a medium-size business. There are two of us who do graphic design. I have a Pagemaker background, my colleague is a Quark person. We've had InDesign for a couple of months now and we both like it better than our former favorites. It combines the best features of both products and has none of the downsides of either. It converts old Pagemaker and Quark documents quickly and easily. All of the outside printers we use readily accept it. It's easy to learn. If InDesign doesn't unseat Quark as the industry standard, it'll be a shame. It's a far better product.
User Rating:
4.5 stars

out of 62 user reviews

Creates a new standard for professional typesetting.

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Cons:

Review: I've been in the business for over 10 years, used PageMaker, Ventura, Quark, FrameMaker within a professional context. Obviously different programs have different strengths and weaknesses. If you are comparing to Quark, then there is no question that InDesign beats it hands down. Ignore comments such as "only Quark is for Pros". These are not coming from professional typesetters and have nothing to back up their comments. I have been using InDesign for over a year and printed all over the world with no problems. The key of InDesign is it's support for OpenType fonts (built-in to Win2K and up and in MacOSX) which allow access to true small caps, true superior, old-style figures, swash italics, contextual alternatives just to name a few. Of course dragging native Photoshop files complete with layers (no more horrible clipping paths either!) or native Illustrator files redefines graphic control.... you want to add a table? easy. you want to rotate that table? easy. you want to add a drop shadow to that table? easy? and why would you want to do that? dunno, but you can! My final point is that when trying to explain to a friend who is a Quark die-hard, she said to me, forget it, Quark rocks. I said, come over and give me an hour. It took me 5 minutes to convince her!
User Rating:
1.0 stars

out of 62 user reviews

runs slowest on the fastest mac

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Cons:

Review: This product has great features and we were excited to take a shot at it after using QXP since 1.0 and having no OSX option. But on our fastest G4 dual 1.25 Gb with 2Gb RAM and more drive space than you can stand, we find our large files opening after several minutes and random simple actions resulting in tens of minutes of beach ball spinning. We may have to give up if Adobe doesn't come up with a solution.
User Rating:
4.0 stars

out of 62 user reviews

The PDF workflow can't be beat

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Cons:

Review: The new tools kick all over Quark if you are using a PC the PDF workflow will put you on an even footing with the Mac centric prepress world. InDesign is all I use anymore for all my print jobs and from a PC. Wow
User Rating:
4.5 stars

out of 62 user reviews

Best I've seen with 15 years design experience

Pros:

Cons:

Review: You name it and I've used it. Quark and PageMaker now sit neglected and ignored on my hard drive. InDesign has all the grace and elegance of PageMaker, none of the klunkiness of Quark, and more power and features than either. HINT: Get two monitors going, and put your pallets on one and your work on the other. There's a lot of pallets to navigate to get the work done. I still haven't been able to figure out the Indexing feature, but everything else is superb. The ID book that comes with the software barely even mentions indexing, and it apparently works differently than in PM or Quark.
User Rating:
4.0 stars

out of 62 user reviews

Powerful, Efficient, Easy... I've switched

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Review: I've been using InDesign 2.0 for OS X on my G4 for a few months now and I am NEVER going back to Quark! I switched after my frustration that Quark did not release a Carbon version (I waited well over a year!) of xPress and since ALL of my other tools were built for OS X, I figured it'd be easier to just stay in the same OS. After just a few projects, I fell in LOVE with this product. It has made me more productive than ever before thanks to its easy to use tools and tight intregration with other Adobe products. InDesign will let me do whatever I can think of easily and without a fuss. This is a GREAT product and I would reccomend it to any designer looking to upgrade from xPress. If you're worried about sending your files to press Adobe includes a (rather long) list of service providers in every state and you can also (as I have done many times) export your projects as a Press-ready PDF and have to worries at all!
User Rating:
4.5 stars

out of 62 user reviews

best of all worlds in DTP

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Cons:

Review: It takes the best of all programs and welcomes us with a pleasant/view environment upon opening the pasteboard. Adobe's attitude and respect in public relations added to the desirability of the product "pre-flight".
User Rating:
4.0 stars

out of 62 user reviews

GOOD printshops can handle it

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Cons:

Review: The reviewers who complain that printers and service bureaus can't handle InDesign files either don't know what they're talking about, or are using inferior service providers. The places I have used have had no problem handing native InDesign files. Of those who are sketchy about it, most places can handle PDF files, which InDesign can output without buying extra extensions. Regardless -- InDesign is a fantastic application which sets incredible-looking type. I've been in this industry since the mid-80s. I've never seen a better dtp application.
User Rating:
3.5 stars

out of 62 user reviews

Glinert is wrong about InDesign's S&R

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Cons:

Review: S.G. says it's not possible to S&R styles. Wrong. There are many options available in the search and replace including every format characteristic possible to apply to text, but only if you know to click the More Options button. SG obviously didn't notice the button.
User Rating:
4.5 stars

out of 62 user reviews

This retires Quark XPress

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Cons:

Review: While I liked version 1.5 of InDesign I use nothing more than InDesign now since the release of 2.0. InDesign 2 has become the standard instead of Quark. Quark took the title from Adobe's PageMaker about 10 years ago and now Adobe is the king again.
User Rating:
0.5 stars

out of 62 user reviews

Half a product and worse than none!

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Cons:

Review: I was given InDesign 2 by a client as their preferred tool, installed it and found it's half missing. Most of the online help files are not there, and the companion Adobe "Classroom in a Book" examples don't like it ("wrong level of InDesign installed...update to the newest InDesign release", etc.) So it's back 10 years to good old Unix and Interleaf for industrial-strength publishing for this kid--at least, until something as capable comes along.
User Rating:
4.5 stars

out of 62 user reviews

Easier than Quark

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Cons:

Review: I got both Quark & InDesign at the same time and decided to test them side-by-side. InDesign was much quicker to learn and much easier to use. It's logical and easy to follow interface flow smoothly compared to Quark's confusing series of commands.
User Rating:
1.5 stars

out of 62 user reviews

Yeah, try to get the installer to work!!

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Cons:

Review: After spending two weeks with their "support" staff folks on epeople, I can't even get the program installed on OSX. It refuses to write a preference file to my user library folder, and so I get missing cMap and fonts errors on start up. Argh!!! installer problems scream "we don't know enough about the new OS" to me louder than anything. Back to Quark running in good old Classic! The feature set looks neat, too bad I'll never know what the user experience is like.
User Rating:
4.5 stars

out of 62 user reviews

"The most finished Adobe product"

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Cons:

Review: I gave only 4 for features because with so more features integreted I was nearly lost when I jumped from Quark! Thanks Adobe, like your other product you're simply the best.
User Rating:
4.0 stars

out of 62 user reviews

Goodbye Quark

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Review: I put out 2 newspapers and the guys at the printing company still swear by Quark. Some people just can't stand change. Indesign 2.0 is so easy to use that even my boss can use it.
User Rating:
5.0 stars

out of 62 user reviews

quark what?

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Cons:

Review: makes quark look like an outdated, shareware-single-programmer effort. Better, hands down. period.
User Rating:
4.0 stars

out of 62 user reviews

Totally stable. What a pleasure.

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Cons:

Review: Having worked with this program since v1.0 I surely appreciate how far its come. The transparency tools are great. The print dialog could still use some tweaking when it comes to printer options. On the whole, an excellent upgrade. Finally a Quark-beater (really not that hard to do to a company that hadn't upgraded in 3 years).
User Rating:
4.5 stars

out of 62 user reviews

I switched from Quark and PageMaker and never looked back!

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Cons:

Review: Us designers have been saying for years "I wish my software had this from Quark and that from PageMaker, through in this from PhotoShop and that from Illustrator", well, here it is...go buy it and get some work done.
User Rating:
4.0 stars

out of 62 user reviews

Simply Incredable.. Major Production booster!

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Review: I spent 2 months putting together a brochure with another program, and after my supervisor scrapped it, and a huge deadline hanging over my head, I freaked. In a panic, I downloaded the trial version of inDesign, and now I will never touch anything else. I did in two weeks what too me two months with other programs. The PDF export was a major bonus too.
User Rating:
5.0 stars

out of 62 user reviews

Worth the Switch

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Cons:

Review: I switch from Quark 4.1 for Mac to InDesign 2.0 for windows. I'm so glad I did. It's easy to use and powerful. Much more intuitive than Quark, maybe because of similrities I'm use to from Photoshop and Illustartor. I have run it on Windows XP and 2000 without any problems at all.
User Rating:
3.0 stars

out of 62 user reviews

Still slow with high-res images

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Review: I tried a test with a high-res image in Quark against Indesign and although the viewing quality was better in Indesign it was EXTREMELY slow to move around. I require speed and although the preview isn't the greatest in Quark it's stilleasier to move around. Indesign has some great features though and QUARK has to WAKE UP and get cracking!!!!
User Rating:
5.0 stars

out of 62 user reviews

InDesign Rocks!!!

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Review: When "K2" debuted at Seybold a few years back, I held my breath. I was one of the first to order InDesign 1 when it first shipped, and while I was a little disappointed in the lack of features, the 1.5 upgrade made up for some of that. InDesign 2 really delivers the product promised at Seybold 4 years ago. I've used all the DTP programs for years, as a designer and as trainer/developer. XPress has its place, but 5.0 misses the mark in several key areas, while InDesign gives a solid performance. If your service bureau can't handle InDesign files, find one that can. It's more than worth the effort, and InDesign 2 is worth every penny.
User Rating:
5.0 stars

out of 62 user reviews

Finally, a Quark Killer

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Review: I'm in the DTP business since PageMaker v.1, the first LaserWriter and Ventura Publisher (those good 'old times: end of the '80 that is). Like so many in the pre-press industry, I've been very frustrated over and over again with the attitude (and upgrade pricing !) of Quark. And like so many, I've hoped the day would come that I could kick Xpress out. This day has arrived now ! I had tried 1.5 for a while, but kept returning to Xpress for the serious work. But now that I have installed ID 2.0, I know times have changed. I'm so glad that I can say: "Quark, eat year heart out, your reign is over"!
User Rating:
4.5 stars

out of 62 user reviews

Great product to work with.

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Review: I have used Quark for over 3 years and just started to get comfortable with it. Started using InDesign 2 weeks ago and just love the ease of use throughout the program.
User Rating:
5.0 stars

out of 62 user reviews

Something to behold

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Review: If you are loathe to move away from your entrenched Quark Xpress, you should definitely reconsider. Took a test drive of ID2 and had my heart sink when I realized that the money I had poured into my recent purchase of Quark was a total waste in comparison. Thank god Adobe has offered a superb deal to anyone who has an existing 3.x version of Quark. There's not much to say here other than it just spanks Quark silly. For those of you who grumbled that Quark is the standard, and has been for a decade...remember paste up? Those guys are out of work too. Quark 5 is no match, and OSX versions won't be ready in my lifetime.
User Rating:
4.0 stars

out of 62 user reviews

Best page layout yet

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Cons:

Review: Import feature is outstanding. I'm currently creating a price book w/84 pages which are originated in Excel. I miss the booklet printing feature of Pagemaker 6.5, though in InDesign 1.52.
User Rating:
5.0 stars

out of 62 user reviews

Well looks like the fight between PageMaker and Quark is over. InDesign 2 wins hands-down

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Cons:

Review: I've been using DTP software since 1990 (and that's a long time). I won't write a long review but just for those of you who tried 1.5 and found it very slow compared to Quark -- it has all been fixed in version 2. (Of course I am using a P4 but still, 1.5 was slow on that too). If you are not sure, download the demo from the Adobe site before parting with your cash. If you are looking for advanced type control then you will need to get your hands on Adobe Pro fonts. What is nice is that version includes Garamond, Caslon and Caflish Pro fonts so you can get started with advanced type without making further investments
User Rating:
5.0 stars

out of 62 user reviews

makes Quark look ancient

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Review: Excellent upgrade. I've used Quark for 12 years and said I would never switch until a program was so superior it would compel me to do so. InDesign 2 has done that.
User Rating:
0.5 stars

out of 62 user reviews

Fabulous!!!

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Cons:

Review: Finally came in today and I put it through some paces. Adobe is listening to its customers. Thanks!
User Rating:
5.0 stars

out of 62 user reviews

Quark Is Finally Dead

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Review: I've been a graphic designer using Quark since the early 90s and all Quark is good for is placing things. It's a simple containter tool for simpler times. Throw out your dinosaur and get creative. Trust me. The future with InDesign will blow your mind. Wait and you'll be sorry you wasted your time and money on Quark 5.
User Rating:
4.0 stars

out of 62 user reviews

Phenomenal

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Review: I've been in the desktop publishing industry since its infancy (PageMaker version 1 on a Mac Plus). As a professional designer, this program gives me an extraordinary amount of control, and makes it simple to create great looking pages.
User Rating:
4.5 stars

out of 62 user reviews

Full Respect to Adobe

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Cons:

Review: Hey, Adobe made a layout program which gets so close and even exceeds QuarkXPress. You people have to apprichiate when somebody tries so hard. QuarkXPress is a good program but company is the insalt to our intelligence. Next upgrade of QuarkXPress will be probably after we all die. InDesign is young. It's like comparing teenager with fully grown person. I rather give InDesign 6 more months to fix few bugs then wait five years for Quark to do whatever. InDesign had a perfect .ps output in 1.5 release and they ruined it in 2.0 - that is obvious mistake. InDesigns respects large format needs and makes desktop almost 220" x 220 inch. Quark never moved more than 48"x48" or even made scales on units. Have you ever tried to replace image in Quark? It is actually impossible. You heva to import the new one and lose all the preferences for that box. What an old program!
User Rating:
5.0 stars

out of 62 user reviews

lets hear from a newbie

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Review: i design books for a small press and have always used pagemaker because of the prohibitive cost of quark. i finally was able to afford a better program, but i only had a week to learn the program and another to finish the book. i tried a beta of id 1.5 and quark 5...i can tell you that if im an indication of the market for persons entering the field then id is the hands down winner. i found quark to be cumbersome and confusing from the gate. thank goodness id 2 came out the same week i had to learn a new program and not only was i able to IMMEDIATLY begin working, i also finished ahead of schedule using it for the first time. I find the ease in converting to pdf a major plus. Thats whats really going to kill quark unless they include that as a plug in for version 5. anyway thats just been my experience. i prefer something i can use almost immediatly becasue the interface is intuitive--to the person new to dtp i can tell you quark is real confusing. plus the color management btw programs one uses with id is phenomenal. you can count on your colors following you from program to program.
User Rating:
5.0 stars

out of 62 user reviews

Anything Quark can do, ID does better...

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Cons:

Review: This application is hands down the best layout and typography software on the market today. The way Adobe is standing behind this product and is educating the service bureaus, it is only a matter of time before everyone is accepting ID files. Until then, go with the servicer who stays on top of his game and the new "industry standard". ID 2 plays great with the other two industry standards - namely Illustrator and Photoshop. Try it out, you won't go back to Quark!
User Rating:
5.0 stars

out of 62 user reviews

This is a rocking application !!

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Review: We have switched from QXp to InDesign (1.5), and it made our jobs so much easier. It is not just replacing QXp with InDesign that does the trick, it's the complete picture. Text editors work in InCopy, which resulted in a steep drop in text corrections in the end. With placing native Photoshop and Illustrator files, and the export directly to PDF we found that we are much more produtive than in our "old" XPress workflow. Conclusion: if you want to save money, and have a truly integrated workflow, move to InDesign. You won't regret it!
User Rating:
5.0 stars

out of 62 user reviews

InDesign innovates

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Review: Where Quark is embracing standard extensions as new features, InDesign is realy on the INNOVATION track !!! Adobe keeps on doing it !
User Rating:
5.0 stars

out of 62 user reviews

Adobe Indesign is the best, second to none.

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Review: Adobe finally upgraded Indesign to the point where Quark has become obsolete. Adobe also has better customer service than any other company out there. They take care of you.
User Rating:
5.0 stars

out of 62 user reviews

This IS the new standard

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Review: I teach DTP to ad builders and newspaper layout artists. Since ID 1.5 was released, many users saw the light and jumped ship from the limitations Quark put on true creativity. Once I demonstrated the advantages of true color management even on a laptop screen, never mind, the bonus of Advanced typography, multi-line composer or anything else, they were sold. Now that I have been working on 2.0 (native OS X, thank you) for a week now, it is clear that I can throw away my copy of Xpress. Yes, for you doubters out there, even the vaunted transparency RIPs like a dream... unless you have RIP software from the 80s. Unless Quark comes up with a fabulous reposte, this app will seal their fate. It is the new standard, and heaven help the providers who fail to realize this.
User Rating:
5.0 stars

out of 62 user reviews

For those who want to keep on moving..

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Review: Indesign is the best peice of software ever. If you design for printers stay with Quark. If you design for clients get ID and move on.I`m sick of lazy printers who are not interested in updating.If printers spent the same amount of time as designers keeping in touch, we would have more than just frame boxes around text. Find a printer who knows his work,is open minded and do some amazing stuff together. Or stay with what you know with what you know with what you know...
User Rating:
4.0 stars

out of 62 user reviews

The best tool for designers

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Review: The typographic controls alone, are reason enough to choose InDesign. At last it's possible to sketch a layout and know that you won't get any problems creating a print file that looks like your sketch, because of limitations in the software you're using. In addition to that you get this brilliant integration with Photoshop and Illustrator. The argument that Quark is "industry standard" just isn't good enough. Great design should be the industry standard, and InDesign supports that.
User Rating:
5.0 stars

out of 62 user reviews

a more comfortable interface

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Review: I was forced to learn to use Quark and it's windows 3.x style interface at School but when working in industry I was put on a machine setup up with InDesign. if you are comfortable in illustraitor, InDesign takes only a day to learn. the aditional abillity to import native photoshop and illustraitor files means a design offic can save GB's of space on servers and back up discs that has been traditionaly cluttered with TIFF and EPS files.
User Rating:
5.0 stars

out of 62 user reviews

Great Layout App.

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Review: Great integration with other Adobe Products. Wonderful type management. Transparency! Familiar interface and easy to use.
User Rating:
4.0 stars

out of 62 user reviews

15 years of experience, I'll go with InDesign

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Cons:

Review: I've been a graphic designer for 15 years. I've used so many applications I can't list them all. Quark was servicable. But InDesign makes type look professional with little effort. Output is always perfect (with educated service bureaus). And color is excellent. InDesign had a rough start. But 2.0 is far better than Quark or PageMaker. The time spent learning it (and it does have Quark key commands if you want them) is tiny compared to the speed you will gain in the long run. I highly recommend it. And I'm always amazed by people who are "frightened" to learn new things.
User Rating:
4.5 stars

out of 62 user reviews

Xpress yourself without Quark

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Review: Studying graphical design, using Quark and InDesign for over a year each, I've come to the conclussion that InDesign is not only the cheapest.... it's also the best software of the two. Forget Quark - InDesign is here to stay.
User Rating:
4.5 stars

out of 62 user reviews

If you love type, then look no further

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Cons:

Review: I've been a convert from Quark ever since version 1, so I guess you can call me biased. However, no one can deny that Version 2 is even more fantastic -- and on System X to boot! Having used Open Type for years now, adding Transparencies, Layers and fabulous export facilities, as well as keeping the best text rendering agent ever, this product rocks, and I don't care who hears me say so.
User Rating:
4.0 stars

out of 62 user reviews

Illustrator LE Photshop LE AND Quark Combined!

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Cons:

Review: With so many flexible features, this product is an all in one design app!
User Rating:
5.0 stars

out of 62 user reviews

best publishing software available

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Cons:

Review: - PDF and PostScript Level 2 / 3 support is excellent - support for Windows XP - support for *.PSD, Tif, *.ai very fast and stable, much better than the old-fashioned Quark Xpress 4.x/5
User Rating:
1.0 stars

out of 62 user reviews

Yeah, but just try to output an ID file to an imagesetter.

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Cons:

Review: Until Adobe can make all of its admittedly ambitious features--especially transparency--actually RIP, they are no better than a wish list. The real workhorse of the industry is still Quark--boring at times but very reliable and robust.
User Rating:
3.0 stars

out of 62 user reviews

don't waste time & money.

Pros:

Cons:

Review: Output matters most and Quark is the landslide industry standard from design house to press. If you want professional output, stick with the professionals, Quark. Any professional that has ever output film to press know that if you send any Adobe product to press, they simply save as an eps and throw it into Quark. Adobe is wonderful for creating images, but a layout program needs to be simple. Adobe has tried to jam to much fluff into a layout program. Leave the layout to Quark, it's simple. Call some ad agencies, call some presses and ask what they prefer. Don't trust the ratings of this site with corporate ties and criteria that does not include output stats. Both Quark and Indesign take time to learn and money to buy. Save time and money, buy Quark.
User Rating:
4.0 stars

out of 62 user reviews

Stuck on quark

Pros:

Cons:

Review: I have to admit that the multiple undos, amazing typography tools, multi line composition, robust export options, file import strengths, transparency, layers, drop shadows are awesome, but I'm going to continue to use good old Quark Xpress. Learning a new application at this point is scary, would take far to much effort, and I'm not very motivated, or intelligent. Be safe and stick with what you know.
User Rating:
4.5 stars

out of 62 user reviews

Far and away the best DTP Solution

Pros:

Cons:

Review: The CNET reviewers comments lead me to believe that she has not used InDesign for more than a couple of hours. And she forgot to mention a very important thing about ID: It's more of an API (Application Programming Interface) than an application. Nearly every single feature that ships with ID is actually a plugin. This gives any user the ability to add their OWN features the way they want them. ID comes with an SDK. Such a user would, of course, need to be schooled in programming. ID also has a very nice scritping feature. The reviewer also didn't mention that you should browse the CD to find a few extras. If you are a PageMaker user, the switch to ID will be easy and you'll realize almost instantly that a lot of the things you wished PageMaker could do, ID can. I have not used PM v7 yet, so some of those deficiencies may have been addressed. I switched from PM to ID about 16 months ago and have never needed to go back. The reviewer claims that converting Quark documents wasn't worth the time in ID 1.5, but that sounds as if it's coming from someone who doesn't use pagelayout software in a production environment - I convert Quark files all the time and it's well worth the time. ID's handling of PDFs and Postscript is excellent. I write to PS, Distill to PDF and hand off a 300+mb PDF to our printer who prints with no problem. You will hear a lot of bellyaching over how ID's Postscript and PDF creation suck and cause a lot of errors, but that is just because a lot of service bureaus and print shops refuse to keep their RIP software/drivers up-to-date and have been in bed with Quark for so long that they don't even want to try ID files. If your service bureau or print shop gives you grief over ID files, then find another. Take it from an award-winning Graphic Artist that uses ID to do magazine layout. ad creation and general DTP: InDesign rocks!!!
User Rating:
5.0 stars

out of 62 user reviews

Adobe Has Finally Done it!

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Cons:

Review: This is the easiest to use most power packed Publishing solution on the Market. I was able to teach 3 people who never used a publishing package before to use it in a week and then produced a 1000 page book in the next 2. Tables are awsome! I'll never use Quark again.
User Rating:
5.0 stars

out of 62 user reviews

It's the BEST

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Cons:

Review: Full of New, Exciting, and much Desired Features which have been waited so long to be present in a DTP software.
User Rating:
5.0 stars

out of 62 user reviews

A dream product

Pros:

Cons:

Review: This is the DTP software the market was waiting for. InDesign has got all it takes to be a winner. Top class features like transparency and tables make it a designers dream.
User Rating:
5.0 stars

out of 62 user reviews

It hasn't been released yet...

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Cons:

Review: At the moment, not having been released yet, InDesign 2.0 is worth every penny it costs. So who's writing the reviews?
User Rating:
4.5 stars

out of 62 user reviews

InDesign finally has XPress beat

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Cons:

Review: Many of the things they both do, InDesign does better. But when it comes to setting type, including tables, InDesign 2 outshines XPress 5 by a wide margin. Add transparency and better integration with other Adobe apps, and InDesign 2 is a clear winner.
User Rating:
4.0 stars

out of 62 user reviews

This version is definetely bridged the gap between Quark and itself.

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Cons:

Review: The product is great, but the lack of some simple features such as bulleted lists and numbering, paragraph editor such as the one in PageMaker and small office imposing features make it slightly short of being a masterpeice of work. The new table features and the long document support along with the improved print options are outstanding. One user said, "they overcharge", has he looked at the price of Quark lately. An upgrade for current owners at 99 bucks, 299 for PM users and 699 retail. Still beats Quark by much.
User Rating:
2.5 stars

out of 62 user reviews

Sharp Looks, Low Performance

Pros:

Cons:

Review: I work in the graphic design, and digital prepress world. Quark has always been old reliable. Indesign comes along looking sharp and just like everyones dream. So, I gave it a shot. The tools look snazzy but lack the same functionality of the competition. Exporting for cross platform is streamlined but postscript files give unknown errors and cause crashes when used with other programs. The illustrator and photoshop elements are lacking, why not just just them instead. And complex documents (ie styles, linked text and other complex but common text functions) will not copy and paste from one document to another without reflowing the text in a manner you didn't want. For my money I will stick with Quark and use Adobe photoshop and illustrator.
User Rating:
4.0 stars

out of 62 user reviews

Difficult to master

Pros:

Cons:

Review: I switched from Quark for what I thought would be better typography. My book looked great on the screen. But mastering master pages, moving pages around, and all that goes with writing a book had me running back to Quark. It's simpler, it's professional.

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InDesign 2.0 specifications

  • General
  • Category Creativity application
  • Subcategory Creativity - desktop publishing
  • Version 2.0
  • Language(s) English
  • License pricing Standard
  • Localization English
  • Software
  • License Type Complete package
  • License Qty 1 user
  • License Pricing Standard
  • Platform Windows
  • Min Supported Color Depth 8-bit (256 colors)
  • Distribution Media CD-ROM
  • Package Type Retail
  • System Requirements
  • OS Required Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition , Microsoft Windows 98 , Microsoft Windows XP , Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 4.0 SP6 , Microsoft Windows 2000 SP2
  • Min Processor Type Pentium II
  • Min RAM Size 128.0 MB
  • Min Hard Drive Space 75.0 MB
  • Peripheral / Interface Devices CD-ROM
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