Software Tips

Because there are so many software options for graphic design and desktop publishing, it would be impossible for us to include all the detail required on our site. Instead, we have put together a list of support sites for the most frequently used software products as well as other reference sources to help you understand printing and how to prepare your files.

Software Support

Each of these sites offers tips, tutorials or other information to help you use their software effectively.

Adobe Products

• PhotoShop
  http://www.adobe.com/products/photoshop/main.html
• Illustrator
  http://www.adobe.com/products/illustrator/main.html
• InDesign
  http://www.adobe.com/products/indesign/main.html
• PageMaker
  http://www.adobe.com/products/pagemaker/main.html

Microsoft Products

• Publisher
  http://www.microsoft.com:80/office/publisher/default.asp
• Word
  http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=fh;EN-US;wrd
• PowerPoint
  http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=fh;EN-US;ppt
• Excel
  http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=fh;EN-US;xlw

Other Design/Publishing Software

• QuarkXPress
  http://www.quark.com/service/learning/
• Freehand
  http://www.macromedia.com/support/freehand/
• CorelDraw
  http://www.coreldraw.com
• FileMaker Pro
  http://www.filemaker.com/support/reference.html

File Compression Software

For PCs

• WinZip
  http://www.winzip.com
• PKZip
  http://www.pkware.com/index.html

For Macintosh

• Stuffit Deluxe
  http://www.stuffit.com/win/index.html
• ZipIt
  http://www.maczipit.com

PDFs

• Adobe Acrobat
  http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html

Online Reference Information

To help you with other aspects of design and printing, we have assembled a list of sites that offer helpful information explaining important design and printing terms and processes.

• About.com offers a comprehensive section covering a wide range of topics associated with desktop publishing, printing, prepress and file preparation, some software packages and more.
  Topics include:
• Prepress
• Preflight checks
• Proofs
• PDFs
• Papers
• Color
• Folding

To get started, go to http://desktoppub.about.com.

• About.com also offers tutorials for the following software:
• Adobe InDesign
• Adobe PageMaker
• CorelDraw
• Microsoft Publisher
• Microsoft Word
• QuarkXPress

To access the tutorials, go to http://desktoppub.about.com/cs/softwaretutorials.

For articles about a variety of commercial printing subjects, such as paper, prepress, proofing and file preparation, go to http://www.printingindustry.com.

Learn more about color, color matching, color separations, RGB and CMYK at http://80211-planet.webopedia.com/TERM/C/CMYK.html.

Many software manufacturers produce useful magazines and newsletters chock full of practical tips for their software products and many of these can be accessed online. For information about Adobe products, check out Adobe Magazine. You have to subscribe for the current editions, but you can access their article archives for free at http://www.adobe.com/products/adobemag/pastissues.html.