Desktop-Publishing

Desktop Publishing ( abbreviation DTP, . Engl for " publishing from the desktop ") is the computer-based set of documents consisting of text and images and find them later as publications such as brochures, magazines, books, catalogs, their use. The focus of the DTP, a desktop computer, software for creating layouts and a printer for output.

The term comes from the comparison with the conventional technologies for the print media or artwork preparation, which usually consist of several successive photographic steps. Since about 1992 print products are produced almost exclusively in the context of DTP. The photographic techniques prepress have meanwhile almost completely replaced by digital methods of DTP.

Desktop publishing and typesetting are commonly distinguished from the word processor. Between the two types of applications, there is no clear dividing line, but generally offer DTP programs the user more options in the design of complex built-up sides as well as the handling of graphics and color, while word processors are designed more for the input and for the design of longer continuous texts.

Requirements

DTP means the production of a document on the computer using appropriate hardware and software. Minimum configuration of a DTP workstation is a computer (eg PC or Apple Macintosh) with a large screen as a detection device ( if necessary ) a table scanner for reproduction of graphics and picture templates, appropriate software and a high-resolution printer, usually for printing correction documents.

Precursors

A precursor of the desktop publishing were phototypesetting systems using mainframe applications in the 1960s and early 1970s, which allowed for detection of text and the determination of graphic space in a rudimentary page description language using tape. This paper tape were fed into computer exposure with rapidly rotating discs, where the writings " shot down " in circulation by flashlight fits, were exposed to films and used for the creation of printing plates, for example, for gravure printing. A well-known manufacturer of such systems, for example, was Harris InterType from the U.S., whose exposure calculator could be (similar to the Telegraph ) control with a special six -channel tape. With such systems, the efficient production of large set of weekly magazines such as Quick, New Revue and the first years of the German edition of Playboy was made possible. After the text and images to pages " wrap " were long print runs have been produced in a short time in the rotogravure printing process. One can say that in fast jobs by punched tape control the photo coasters the first offline "Desktop Publisher" were, with a photographic film intermediate.

Desktop publishing by PC

Was introduced today known DTP in 1985 by the company Apple, Adobe, and Linotype Aldus, which thus Gutenberg's invention ( rate and pressure) revolutionized the first time in over 500 years. The first programs were used Ventura Publisher and PageMaker, Quark, the company grew in 1987 with QuarkXPress in the new market.

It controlled the Adobe page description language PostScript, Aldus the first layout program ( PageMaker ), Apple 's first fully graphics-oriented computer ( Macintosh ) and a PostScript laser printer ( LaserWriter ) at. Linotype delivered the first PostScript fonts and the first PostScript imagesetter.

In the early days the quality of prints that were created with the help of desktop publishing, that of conventional method was clearly inferior. This was especially due to the poor resolution of the printer, often 230 to 300 dpi hardly exceeded. Therefore, the DTP was dismissed in its early days by many as a gimmick. Also today is often still referred to as DTP publishing through layman. Therefore one speaks instead of also like Electronic Publishing. This concept should also be strictly used only for publishing electronic media (for example, sites on the Internet, CD -ROM, DVD, E -Books etc).

In the relevant industry, prepress and advertising agencies, today announced the terms set ( typography), EBD (electronic image processing ) as well as (computer) graphics are commonly used again. In addition, there are new demands in the media overall context that have to do with the multiple use of once -generated data. ( See also: cross-media publishing, database publishing, color management. )

An important advantage of DTP: From an author wrote on the PC and as plain text without any formatting stored plants or products no longer need the " translator " to be re- recorded from scratch completely, but can be used as a text file directly into the Special Layout programs such as Quark XPress or InDesign, and read therein the typographic publishing guidelines will be formatted accordingly. The spell check these programs also takes much of the "mechanical" proofreading "last resort" but it remains to be the man.

For some time now the DTP will be revolutionized by the use of so-called content management systems. Increasingly rely mainly larger publishers and companies use such systems to the creation of print media, web content or technical documentation. With the help of content management systems can automate the process with the DTP strong. Editorial systems have been developed in the photo set, and since then maintained continuously. Systems that involve the customer in the production process are also referred to as Customer Publishing.

Software

Dominant market programs

In the early years PageMaker and Ventura dominated the market, this was the mid 90s QuarkXPress ousted as leader with quasi- monopoly. Meanwhile InDesign is dominant.

• Corel Ventura ( first version in 1985 as Ventura Publisher)
• Adobe PageMaker ( first version 1985, last version 2002, still on the market )
• QuarkXPress ( first version 1987)
• Calamus ( first version in 1991 for the Atari market, Last version 2006)
• Adobe InDesign ( first version 1999)
• Scribus ( first version in 2003, distributed in the open source area, free software)

Other DTP programs

All other programs not play a significant role in the market. Even Microsoft has not been able to place his product. Since DTP has a long learning curve, the market reacts very sluggish and program changes are relatively rare and are accepted by the end users rarely in all versions. Classic DTP is based today on lead type, which is why innovations are rarely expected and carried out. Unlike other sectors of the computer DTP has been viewed 1996 as a not very innovative and trendsetting.

• Adobe FrameMaker
• Arbortext 3B2
• ICalamus
• Apple Pages
• Microsoft Publisher
• MultiAd Creator
• PagePlus
• Page stream
• Papyrus

TeX and LaTeX are not part of the strict DTP software as text set programs.

Utilities

• Macromedia Freehand, Adobe Illustrator, Inkscape, CorelDRAW or Xara Xtreme ( for creating illustrations )
• Adobe Photoshop or GIMP ( image editing )