InDesign & Its Alternatives - Typography Programmes for the Noob

In order to be able to work with typography today, a basic working knowledge of page layout software is expected. Word processing software such as Microsoft Word, or raster-based graphic-making software such as Photoshop are not appropriate for type-setting. 

There are some alternatives when it comes to page layout software. I will quickly describe three that you can download a one-month free trial for here if you are not sure about making the investment just yet. 

Adobe InDesign

The industry standard software is Adobe InDesign. InDesign is a desktop publishing software produced by Adobe Systems. Although here referred to with regard to typography, it can be used to create and lay-out periodical papers, posters, flyers and print media. 

InDesign is part of the Adobe Creative Cloud, which gives users access to a collection of software used for graphic design, video-editing, photography and web editing. A monthly or annual subscription service is delivered over the Internet.Software from Creative Cloud can be used cloud-based or is to be downloaded and installed directly on a local computer. Unlike before, perpetual software license isn't offered any longer.

In combination with Adobe Digital Publishing Suite, InDesign can also publish content that is suitable for tablet devices in specific. InDesign supports XML, style sheets, and other coding markup, rendering it interesting for exporting tagged text content for use in other digital and online formats. It also supports export to EPUB and SWF formats to create digital publications.

When you create and save a file in Adobe InDesign, the file is given the extension .indd. INDD is the automatic extension given to all InDesign files created in any version of the design software - be it InDesign CS3, CS4, CS5, CS6 or CC. ! If you navigate to an InDesign file in your Windows Explorer or Mac OSx Finder, the .indd-file is classified in under Kind. Kind indicates which version of InDesign the file was created in.

No doubt, InDesign's greatest strength is in its typesetting. Some of its best features include optical kerning - which accurately calculates optimal character spacing - and Multi-line Composer  - which calculates line breaks across multiple lines. On top of that, it has the ability to insert hidden characters– which are frequently available in fonts. InDesign also automatically inserts the proper ligatures and small caps when a separate small-cap font is available. You can't accidentally choose a font style that doesn't exist because it splits all designer styles for a typeface family to a separate pop-up menu - not as unhandy as it seems.

But, not everything about InDesign is so fantastic. There is no ability to justify text vertically inside a text frame for instance. Next to that, make sure you have a good processor or the heavy typography algorithms will cause slow performance.

Also, InDesign isn't really compatible with documents created in other publishing software such as QuarkXpress.

QuarkXpress

Quark provides an alternative to Adobe InDesign as a desktop publishing programme. QuarkXpress - currently at its 2016 version - is different from InDesign in some aspects. First of all, and not completely unimportant to those not able to subtract the investment of a subscription from business taxes: it has no subscription. In the long run, it will be cheaper. Included is a 60-day free support, free dual activation, cross platform licenses (read: Mac and PC) and ongoing access to free updates.

Of course, it is also suited for the creation and lay-out of periodical papers, posters, flyers and print media - in print or digitally. In fact, QuarkXpress will give you most of the fabulous features InDesign gives you.

However, InDesign will make it easier for you by incorporating some of the more demanding tasks in their 'Features'. On the other hand, QuarkXpress will make other demanding texts easy for you. Just one example is that you can use it to easily justify text vertically. And yes, you don't need as much processing power. Quark recommends that XPress users have 10MB of RAM, while InDesign recommends 128MB.

Scribus

Scribus - unlike Adobe InDesign and Quark - is an OpenSource desktop publishing programme. That means it is free - in all its aspects, but in this case also a bit more limited.

The major advantage of Scribus is that it will function quite well on Linux, FreeBSD, PC-BSD, NetBSD, OpenBSD, Solaris, OpenIndiana, Debian GNU/Hurd, Mac OS X, OS/2 Warp 4, eComStation, Haiku and Windows. Talking cross-platform... Its OpenSource character also means that you as a user are in control of your data and, if you are really good at it, the code of your desktop publishing tool. That means that it is just as functional as Indesign or QuarkXpress if you know how to work it. Support is available and again free from both an active online community and the Scribus team.

Important to note is that Scribus cannot read or write the native file formats of other publishing programs such as QuarkXpress and InDesign. The main reason is without a doubt hidden in its OpenSource character and the subsequent risk for legal action from the makers of those programs. However, support for importing Microsoft Publisher is incorporated into version 1.5, as well as QuarkXpress 'Tag files', InDesign's IDML and InCopy's ICML-formats. Also due to licensing issues, the software package does not include support for the Pantone Color Matching system (or PMS), but pantone colors can be easily obtained and incorporated in Scribus by its users without such license issues. In any case, Scribus comes with a huge number of color palettes that were donated.