InDesign CS3 (or CS2) for cheap – any advice?

[gd0]

I've been a happy Quark user for, well, forever... but I'm finally being forced to add InDesign so I can can accept files from a potential new customer.

Problem is money – I have none to spare and the new work looks like small budget stuff... nonetheless, I suppose I'll need this sooner or later and will pursue a bare-bones purchase.

But I need some street smarts before I buy... normally, I wait til mfr's deep-discount upgrade apps I have and just get those, but I have to buy InDesign from scratch... I found these two online:
http://www.softwaresurplus.com/
http://www.cheapsoftwares.org/

Might even bite on the full Adobe suite at $500... but before I do anything, I'd like a second opinion from anyone who may have gone this route.

Will I be missing something in a purchase so deeply discounted?... can I register these w/ Adobe and activate without problems, or if not, activate without registering?

Not used to shopping for this stuff, and do not want to create a bogus 'student' purchase... just want to be sure I'm getting full tote at such a discount – the exception would be the printed manual, which I don't need.

If it matters: Mac G4 > OSX 10.4.11

Thanks in advance.

[Vidiot]

I'd be very careful. There's a whole bunch of weird Russian and Antiguan warez sites selling high-priced Adobe packages for cheap prices. I've seen the whole CS3 package for under $100.

If you're on a tight budget, just buy the (legit) educational package from an eBay dealer. If you have to, sign up for a $50 intro class at a local night school, and give the dealer proof that you're a student.

Note that you can't upgrade the student packages for later versions, but that's what you lose by not paying full-tilt.

[apileocole]

Vidiot's right as far as I know.

'tis the problem with folks locking themselves into proprietary formats. If it worked with open standards, you'd have more cost-effective or even free options. Anyway. Good luck finding a good price.

[applebonkerz]

I was never a happy Quark user. If you aren't quickly converted by InDesign once you use it with the rest of the suite (or even without), I would be highly surprised and suspect. Even the ex-Quark guru David Blatner was an evangelistic convert!

[gd0]

Thanx for the replies... I thought as much – no breaks... did some more research and those sites I found – and others like them – have crappy feedback... if it looks too good to be true, etc.


If you have to, sign up for a $50 intro class at a local night schoolDo I actually have to take the class?... and would Adobe not be suspicious of me registering as a student after being registered with them as a pro for 15 years?


I was never a happy Quark user. If you aren't quickly converted by InDesign once you use it with the rest of the suite (or even without), I would be highly surprised[Shrug]... I've never had a problem working QXP, always done what I wanted with ease... ID's traveling text wrap looks like an advance, but Q will find a way to match or exceed it (if they're still around in a year)... typographic control is my biggest concern... Pagemaker never had it, and if ID does now, it's because they followed Quark's lead.

And I suppose none of that matters, 'cuz once again, the accountants decree that all will henceforth use the Adobe Suite, so they can cut sweet deals for multiple orders at their businesses, while I pay full tote – for something I don't really need.

Maybe I'll just re-visit my bank robbery plans...

[Downsampled]

typographic control is my biggest concern... Pagemaker never had it, and if ID does now, it's because they followed Quark's lead.

What kind of "typographic control" are you concerned about?

[Vidiot]

Do I actually have to take the class?... and would Adobe not be suspicious of me registering as a student after being registered with them as a pro for 15 years?
That's up to the seller. Some of them are lax about requiring proof of student I.D.; some merely have you send them an email saying, "yes, I'm a student at blah-blah academy."

You're never too old to take a software class. The last time I took a Pro Tools class, there were experienced mixers who had been in the business for 20 years sitting next to me, but they were there just to brush up on a new version that had just come out.

[Mister Kite]

I don't know if this helps, but if you have an old version of Pagemaker 6 (and up,) you can upgrade to InDesign CS3 directly from Adobe for $199. They used to offer a similarly-priced Quark competitive upgrade, but I don't see it on the web site now.

[gd0]

Never had – or wanted – Pagemaker.

Guess the student option is the only legitimate path, even if that itself is just an extra expense.
up to the seller. Some of them are lax... send them an email... never too old to take a software class.Wasn't concerned about the seller, but rather registering / activating the product with Adobe... could they detect a bogus 'student' purchase for pro use, and decline activation?

It's the lesson I never learn: upgrades are unavoidable, and an independent contractor will always pay the through the nose for them.

However... thanx again, guys.

[Ian Lascell]

I think you'll find InDesign's type control to be fantastic. Nothing like the old Pagemaker. I'm sure they based plenty of stuff on Quark when they were putting it together. You can also go in and program all your Quark keyboard shortcuts so they are the same in InDesign. The only thing that drives me nuts about InDesign is they can't seem to settle on a way to handle imposition. There have been several versions now, and every one has handled it differently. In the earlier versions it was easiest to just use a third party script, even though the controls were limited. Now they have a separate printing feature for booklets. Cuts down on the number of files you end up with, but it prevents you from being able to customize the file to fit your printer's needs in some cases. Of course if your printer has good imposition software, it probably is not a problem at all. Ours doesn't.

In any case, working with text in InDesign is a pleasure.

[gd0]

I'm sure ID will be a joy to use – I love Adobe products.

I just resent being forced into an expenditure because someone else found a way to make themselves appear valuable.

I almost always provide reader spreads and leave page imposition to the printers, who should perform a serious pre-flight anyway, based on their specific equipment.

I'd really rather supply uneditable PDF files, and keep all control right here.

Quark works fine, InDesign works fine... it's the business that s***s.

[Mister Kite]

I'd really rather supply uneditable PDF files, and keep all control right here.You realize of course, that you can certainly do this with ID.

I have been a convert since CS1, and although it has taken a while to get there, now I really like the integration between ID and the other apps in the suite. I almost always have InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator and Acrobat up and running, and I am constantly swapping information back and forth between apps depending on what I am working on.

[gd0]

You realize of course, that you can certainly do this with ID.

Oh, yah.

Just saying it might be nice to create in the apps of my choice, then save to PDF.

If it sounds like I'm cheap – – – it's because I am.