[atlantaprog] Re: CD Booklet / Layout

>- Some places are switching from Quark to Adobe InDesgin, or are able to
>handle both.  I don't know about Quark Xpress, but with most Adobe
>products the native file format for that program is the same, weather it
>is on a Mac or a PC.  You can create a Photoshop document on a PC for
>example, and it will open up on a Mac exactly like you saved it.  IOW,
>it may not be necessary for the graphic designer to be running on a Mac

Some places can handle InDesign true, but ALL (print/graphics) places 
can handle Quark. Likewise, some places can handle PCs, but ALL 
places can handle Mac. The file formats of Quark and InDesign are 
cross platform, but this doesn't account for the way Macs and PCs 
handle fonts at a system level. It's possible, if your designer has 
had to do a lot of precise type manipulation (kerning, tracking, etc) 
that these things can get lost when you convert to a different 
platform. Also, unless you can provide both Mac AND PC versions on 
certain fonts, your typesetting will go to heck!

If your designer INSISTS on working with something besides Mac/Quark, 
then make sure they can provide a PDF file of the proper specs to 
your manufacturer. PDF's are fast becoming the preferred way to 
receive files for output because they are truly cross-platform and if 
created properly, are free of font issues as well.

>- Some places would rather have a single .tif (TIFF) file than a layout.
>If that's what they want (this is what I have always given print
>companies cause I think that dealing with TIFFs is far easier than
>dealing with a Quark layout!)

I would NEVER print at a place that just wanted a tiff file... the 
reason is a tiff file is a fixed resolution, typically 300 dpi. 
Imagesetters (the machines that generate film for printing) and 
direct-to-plate systems can print up to 2400 dpi or higher. 300 is 
fine for photos - and even large text, but small text can become 
grainy and illegible at resolutions smaller than 1200 dpi.

These are the reasons you should always have a pro prepare your 
files! There are just so many variables.

AWG

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