Open Source Desktop Publishing

While most desktop publishing programs are only available for Windows and Mac platforms, there's some software for Linux that shouldn't be overlooked.

Gimp

• Website: http://gimp.org
  • Wikipedia:

Scribus

• Website: http://www.scribus.net/
  • Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scribus

Scribus is cross-platform, supports CMYK color, has good PDF creation, has lots of printing and exporting options, and is generally a good bet if you want to make your work print-ready. There's also lots of online support available, including an email list, IRC chatroom, and wiki with tutorials (http://wiki.scribus.net/). It's also open source and free (as in beer).

It's good to know that Scribus create files in its own format. It can import SVG, PS, OpenDocument, MSWord, HTML, and RTF formats and export as PS, PDF, EPS, and images, but cannot read or write the native file formats of commercial programs like QuarkXPress, Microsoft Publisher, and InDesign.

Inkscape

• Website: http://www.inkscape.org/
  • Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inkscape

A [vector drawing http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vector_graphics] program for Linux! Inscape's easy to use and has some good interactive tutorials (at http://www.inkscape.org/doc/ - the tutorial becomes interactive when used from within the program).

There are stable releases available for Windows and Linux, and a Mac version is being developed. Inskscape is free and open source.

OpenOffice Draw

• Website:
  • Wikipedia:

Pagestream

• Website: http://www.grasshopperllc.com/
  • Wikipedia:

What they say: "PageStream is a full-featured desktop publishing program. It is suitable for all levels of publishing, from simple newsletters to color advertisements to technical books. With PageStream you can create letters, colorful schoolwork, presentations, business cards and any other type of document."

While we've never used this software at Free Geek before, reviews (like the one at http://www.itreviews.co.uk/software/s300.htm) compare it favorably with Quark and InDesign. The program is cross-platform and has lots of bells and whistles.

Something that may deter the average publisher/zine-o-phile from using this software is the price tag. It's $99 to start, and upgrades cost $20-$40.