[eatinwokout]

i've used photoshop for photo editing and touch-up. some friends of mine asked me to design an information packet for an upcoming conference. i'm getting the idea that photoshop is not the best choice for my project. i've contemplated purchasing quark.

for all you seasoned artists/designers, what program would you recommend. i have a few months to complete my project. should i pick up quark or use indesign? keep in mind that i'll probably have to read some through tutorials and tips to get accustomed to either apps.

[Macola]

At the risk of starting up the Quark vs ID debate again (and do a search...this is a common thread) I'd say go with ID.

If you really can't decide, download a demo of both, try them out, and see which suits your needs better.

[Chuckit]

If you're already on the Adobe train, no reason not to just buy the Creative Suite, which includes InDesign (and the whole thing is cheaper than Quark all by its lonesome).

[budster101]

I will third the purchase suggestion for Adobe Creative Suite 8.0 as it includes InDesign along with the rest of the great Adobe Products, and if you are familiar with the Adobe Photoshop menus, it is a short hop and skip to InDesign, rather than the cryptic menus and idiocy of Quark. As you can see, I hate Quark with a passion, and it cannot compare to using Photoshop / InDesign. Also, if you use Excel tables at all, as in catalog price books, you can easily drag them into InDesign and edit them at any time. Try that with Quark.

Here is a nutshell an unbiased reason for jumping at InDesign over Quark.

1. Learning Curve.
2. Learning Curve.
3. Learning Curve.

Especialy for you, again, with our familiarity with the rest of Adobe's products.

[mydog8mymac]

ID if you're pressed for time.

[eatinwokout]

Well I got to play around with Quarkxpress. To be honest, I didn't find it as user friendly compared to the Adobe apps that I have grown accustomed to. I'm wondering if I should hold off on using my student discount to to get the Adobe suite. Isn't something new coming out soon?

[art_director]

I agree with all the input you've received thus far but I offer a word of caution. Check with the printer *before* you commit to an application. They'll probably accept both file types but it would stink if you had everything done only to realize there was a problem. In that event you could likely submit PDFs but, for peace of mind, I'd ask the question just the same.

[Chad A Wright]

As a die-hard Quark user, I'd say go with Indesign. I love Quark because it's what I've used for years, and I hate change. However, if Photoshop is all you know, you'll probably have a much easier time with InDesign.

[KeriVit]

Let's not debate this AGAIN. So I rec InDesign if you are accustomed to Pshop. This coming from someone who ses Qk for 85% of her work...