Is there a freeware tool analagous to QuarkXPress?

[Jzero]

So far I have been able to find freeware tools that are adequate "amateur" replacements for things like Photoshop and Illustrator, but I have yet to find a desktop publishing software that will let me layout text and graphics.

I looked at something called PagePlus, but it looks kind of shoddy, and it's not GNU GPL software which isn't a drop-dead issue, but I like to support "free software" where possible.

Anyone have any experience or suggestions?

 

[Jzero]

We're trying to decide between buying InDesign or Quark....but if possible, I'd rather stick to freeware.

It's a non-profit theater group and we're just going to use it to design our monthly newsletter so it doesn't have to be astoundingly feature-rich.

We've got some budget, but the $700 MSRP on InDesign is nearly equal to the budget we allot for a small-scale non-musical production. I'd prefer to see that money spent on light and sound if possible.

 

[notfred]

No, there isn't, not at any kind of useable level anyway. You might be able to find something else similar to "PagePlus".

 

[Insomnium]

Why not use Microsoft Word? If all you need to do is design a monthly newsletter then Word should be fine. By using tables and columns and various graphics, background colors, and text colors, you can create a really nice looking newsletter. Then all you have to do is print it on glossy paper if you want it to look more professional or what not. Quark and Indesign are better suited for really complex documents that are rich in layouts and graphics.

And if you don't have Word, then perhaps Open Office? (I'm not sure if OpenOffice has all the features Word has)

 

[Jzero]

Originally posted by: Insomnium
Why not use Microsoft Word? If all you need to do is design a monthly newsletter then Word should be fine. By using tables and columns and various graphics, background colors, and text colors, you can create a really nice looking newsletter. Then all you have to do is print it on glossy paper if you want it to look more professional or what not. Quark and Indesign are better suited for really complex documents that are rich in layouts and graphics.

And if you don't have Word, then perhaps Open Office? (I'm not sure if OpenOffice has all the features Word has)

Word is flat-out awful. I have spent literally hours trying to make layouts work correctly in Word. Maybe I don't know some deep dark secret, but my coworker has an MOUS cert and he doesn't seem to know any special tricks other than fighting with it until it looks almost like you want it....and then hoping it prints that way.

I can get StarOffice, but the guy who has access to it (works for Sun Microsystems) seems to recommend InDesign over StarOffice.